A Year In Carolina
by toledo girl
Summary: A ring that is lost and found brings back memories to two people. H/M.
1. Chapter 1

1

Margaret stood in her tent which was all torn up. She placed her hands on her hips as she looked around at al the stuff scattered out on the floor around her.

"Margaret," Frank called quietly from the door.

"I think we should discuss the lieutenant's x-ray now," he said.

"Come in Frank," she said getting annoyed.

Frank walked in and went over to her and started kissing her neck.

"I have a headache," she said.

"Well what's wrong honey?" Frank asked as he backed up.

Margaret sighed.

"My ring is missing," she said.

"What ring?" he asked.

"The ring that I kept on the chain with my dog tags Frank," she said.

Frank just gave her a look of confusion.

"I though I was the only man in your life," he whined.

"You are Frank. It's just that that ring was given to me by some one special a long time ago. I haven't seen him since," Margaret said starting to dig through her things again.

"Is it real gold? Silver maybe?" he asked.

"No Frank. It is a small fake one. Gold colored bad with a small pink rose on the top," she said.

"Then why is it so special?" he asked.

Margaret just stood up.

"Not everything has to revolve around money Frank. I was thirteen at the time and the boy who gave it to me was the same age. He used all the money he had for it," she said.

"Didn't any of the other boys you knew ever give you jewelry?" Frank asked.

"Yes," she said.

"Then why are you going on like this is the only gift that you've ever gotten? I mean darling, if you want another ring I can always just buy one for you," he said.

Margaret sighed.

"Sit down Frank, I have a story to tell you about I got this ring," she said.

Hawkeye sat over in the swamp as he examined a ring that he had found in the mess tent.

"You know what this is?" Hawkeye asked.

"A ring," BJ said.

"Ha ha, very funny. This happens to be the ring that I gave to a very lucky girl some years ago," Hawkeye said.

"Not to ruin your parade Hawk, but isn't there a lot of rings like that?" he asked.

Hawkeye held it up and pointed to right beside the rose.

"You see the indent?" he asked.

BJ went over and looked it over.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Can you make out what two letters they are?" Hawkeye asked.

BJ took the ring and studied it.

"B, and," he said.

He was having a hard time even seeing the letter next to it.

"M," Hawkeye said.

"I can see that," BJ said.

BJ handed the ring back and then went and sat down on his cot.

"The reason that the lettering is so unreadable is that me and my friend took and old nail and scratched it in," Hawkeye said.

"What does B M stand for?" BJ asked.

"Ben and who ever my girlfriend was," Hawkeye said.

"You took all the time to do that and you don't even remember her name?" BJ asked.

"Well, at the time she was important to me," Hawkeye said.

"She was the first to give you all access?" BJ asked.

"Nothing like that at all," Hawkeye said.

"It was after my mom had died," Hawkeye said.

"I was only about twelve or thirteen," Hawkeye said.

Hawkeye sat on the front porch of his Aunt Jackie's house down in South Carolina. He was thirteen and his mother had just died not too long ago. Daniel was having trouble getting his life back on track so he took Hawkeye down to stay with his sister. It was starting to get late on a Sunday night which meant that barely any one was outside. The entire town was quiet. He just sighed as he sat there and stared. Daniel came out and sat down next to him.

"Nice night outside isn't it?" he asked.

"Beautiful," Hawkeye said sarcastically with out any emotion.

Daniel looked over at him.

"It's Sunday. What did you expect?" Daniel asked.

Hawkeye just kept staring.

"Besides, tomorrow will be better. You'll see," Daniel said.

Hawkeye widened his eyes.

"Better? How can tomorrow be better? I have to go to school tomorrow!" Hawkeye said.

"So? You can finally make some friends now," Daniel said.

"Right," Hawkeye said.

Hawkeye stood up.

"I think that I'll just go to my room," Hawkeye said.

Daniel watched sadly as Hawkeye went inside.

A few blocks down a new family was moving in. All the furniture was in the house and they were moving it around. It was a family with three young girls, but only three bedrooms. The parents had already decided that they get the room with the bathroom off of it which left the other two rooms. Margaret, who was thirteen and Becky who was eleven had already decided that they wanted to share a room. Neither of them wanted to be stuck with Tara who was sixteen. Margaret walked into one of the empty bedrooms carrying a box.

"Here we go," she said to herself.

"Get out. This is my room," Tara said bringing in one of her boxes.

"Tara! Me and Becky need the bigger room! And you could figure that out if you actually had something in your head," Margaret said.

"But I'm older then you. Now get out you little snot nosed princess!" Tara said.

"No! We need this room!" Margaret said.

"We? It looks like its just you! I thought you were at least smart enough to count!" Tara said.

Becky walked in and put a box down.

"At least Maggie can tie her shoes," she said and then walked back out.

Tara just looked down and found her shoes untied. She huffed as she knelt down and tied her shoes.

"Need some help with that?" Becky asked walking back in with another box.

"Shut up you little brat," Tara said.

"So are you, you army brat," Becky said.

"At least I don't act like a brat," Tara said.

"Why would you need to act? It is very apparent that you are one," Becky said.

Tara just grabbed her box and left the room. Margaret turned to Becky and smiled.

"Thank you," she said.

"It's nothing," Becky said.

"But I do think that you should learn to stand up to her by yourself,' Becky said.


	2. Chapter 2

2

Hawkeye slowly walked down the stair and sat down at the table.

"Here you go," Jackie said while setting a plate down in front of him.

Hawkeye sighed looking down at the plate and then looked up at his dad in despair.

"Dad, I don't feel good. I think I'm sick," Hawkeye said.

"No you don't," Daniel said.

"Why do you say that?" Hawkeye asked.

"You're playing with your hands. You only do that when you're lying," Daniel said.

Hawkeye looked down at his hands.

"What's the real problem?" Daniel asked.

"I know how they treat the new kids. We got one last year," Hawkeye said.

Hawkeye then looked over to make sure that Jackie had gone back into the kitchen and then leaned in closer to his dad.

"Dad, he got a wedgie so bad that he could walk right. I think he was even afraid to go to the bathroom. If you send me to school, you may never have any grandchildren," Hawkeye said and then leaned back.

Daniel just raised his eyebrow.

"That bad huh?" Daniel asked looking as if he was considering everything that he had heard.

"Yes," Hawkeye said.

"Well then, I guess you'd better learn to run fast or fight back," Daniel said.

Hawkeye just stared blankly at him. He couldn't believe what had just happened.

"Alright, but don't be upset if there's no little Hawkeyes running around in the future," Hawkeye said.

"See you tonight," Daniel said.

Hawkeye just grabbed his bag and walked out the door.

Over at the Houlihans' Margaret and Becky stood at the door waiting for Tara.

"Tell me again, why are we waiting for her?" Margaret asked.

"Just wait for it," Becky said while smirking.

"Okay I guess," Margaret said.

There was a loud scream from the bathroom. Alvin came over and joined Margaret and Becky at the bottom of the stairs. Tara came storming out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her head.

"What's wrong Tara?" Becky asked.

"Try this you little jerk!" Tara yelled as she pulled off her towel revealing her blonde hair to have a lime green tent.

Becky just laughed as Alvin and Margaret stared.

"Becky! You realize what you did to your sister's hair?" he asked getting angry.

"Yes, I made it look better," Becky said.

"You better learn to sleep with your eyes opens!" Tara yelled as she stormed back upstairs.

Alvin sighed as he turned to Becky.

"Must you two always be going back and forth like you do?" he asked.

"Daddy, she's turning on some one smaller then her. She deserves it," Becky said.

Alvin just put his face in his hand.

"Go to school Becky," he said.

Becky started out the door. Margaret started to follow her but Alvin grabbed her shoulder.

"What is it daddy?" she asked.

Alvin took his hand away from his face and gave her a look of concern.

"I know I can trust you. Now watch out for her. I don't want her to get in trouble on the very first day," Alvin said.

Margaret smiled softly. She was daddy's little girl. When ever he needed one of the girls to help with something, she was the one that he asked. When ever he went anywhere she was the first one to get asked if they wanted to come along. He went with her to any father daughter dance.

"Okay daddy," she said and then left.

Hawkeye walked into the classroom. He was in Ms. Kempton's homeroom. He had no idea what that meant, but the boys seemed to be excited about being in her classroom. He looked over the crowd and then went and took his seat. Soon enough, another boy came and took the seat next to him.

"Hey," Hawkeye said.

The boy looked up at him.

"You're the new kid," he said smiling.

"I'd think so," Hawkeye said.

The laughed.

"Tommy Malcolm," he said.

"Ben Pierce," Hawkeye said.

Hawkeye knew that he was only going to be there for a little while. He would also hate to explain to thirty different kids what his name stood for. Also, telling them his nick name would make him feel like he was going to get real close to any one. That was not what he had planned on doing. He planned on just finding some friends to hang out with until he went back to Crabapple Cove.

"Hey, uh, could you tell me why the boys seem so pleased to be in this class for home room compared to the others?" Hawkeye asked.

Tommy smugly grinned.

"Trust me, it seems impossible for a lady this good looking to be a teacher," Tommy said.

Hawkeye grinned.

"I see," he said.

"So being to teacher's pet is the ultimate goal in here?" Hawkeye asked.

"Hell yeah," Tommy said.

"Just watch this," Tommy said and then turned around to another boy standing behind him.

"John? Could you come here a minute?" Tommy asked.

John walked over and joined the group.

"Hi," he said.

"Ben, this is my friend John. John this is Ben," he said.

"Hey Ben," John said.

"Crazy one isn't he?" Hawkeye asked.

"Just tired," John said.

"Who isn't on the first day?" Hawkeye asked.

"John, why don't you tell Ben about our teacher?" Tommy asked.

John smiled.

"You're in for a nice surprise," John said.

"Too bad the rest are old hags," Tommy said.

Margaret timidly entered the room. She was also in Ms. Kempton's room. She studied the room. There was an obvious spot for the girls and an obvious spot for the boys. She walked over to where the girls were standing and set her things down on the desk.

"Excuse me," one of the girls said.

"Yes?" Margaret asked.

"That seat there is reserved for my friend," she said.

"Then where can I sit?" Margaret asked.

"Obviously not around here," she said.

Margaret just glared at her, but she did not want to start out by yelling at the tops of her lungs at another girl. She was just more hurt then mad. But, not as hurt as she thought she would be. It was like she was just used to it by now. Another girl came over and stood by her.

"Don't worry about her, that's just Rhonda Higginson. No one else here really pays attention to her," she said.

"Thanks," Margaret said.

"Name's Corinne," she said.

Margaret smiled.

"Maggie," she said.

"I'd just avoid these girls. All the stuck ups got put into this class. Now all my friends are split up," Corinne said.

"That stinks," Margaret said.

"Yeah, I think I'll just go over and grab a seat by the boys," Corinne said.

Margaret picked up things and followed her.

"Hey John," she said.

"Corinne," he said smiling.

"How are you?" he asked.

"Not good actually," Corrine said.

"Why not?" John asked.

Corinne sighed as she gave him a puppy dog face.

"Me and my friend have no where to sit because those girls over there won't let us join them," Corinne said.

John smiled.

"Well, how about you sit next to me?" John asked.

"What about Maggie?" Corinne asked.

John looked over at Hawkeye.

"There's an empty seat next you," he said.

"And that way me and Maggie can still sit next to each other," Corinne said.

"Go ahead," Hawkeye said.

Hawkeye then looked over at Tommy.

"He's had the hots for her since the third grade," Tommy said.

"Oh okay," Hawkeye said.


	3. Chapter 3

3

Hawkeye, John, and Tommy sat in the park along with Harold, Ron and Jake. They were telling Hawkeye about the football teams that were put together every fall.

"You know how to play, don't you?" Jake asked.

"Oh course he does," Tommy said.

"How about letting me answer for myself?" Hawkeye asked.

"What? You can't?" Harold asked.

"I can. And I know how to," Hawkeye said.

"Any ways," John said.

"Every year there are teams made up according to what ever street you live on," John said.

"Is this all we have?" Hawkeye asked noticing that no other boy showed up.

"No," Ron said.

"We have lots of people. Fred, Rich, Jack, Nathan, Craig, Josh, Nick, Matt, Mark, Zack," Ron said.

"I thought that Zack lived over on Hall road," Harold said.

"Zack Morganton? No, he lives on Irving Park with the rest of us," Ron said.

"We're called the Dolphins. There is practice every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights. That way we have Friday night and Saturday to play," Jake said.

"I can remember that," Hawkeye said.

He wasn't really that big on the idea of playing football, but he did want to be friends with the other boys. He knew how to play, he just wasn't that good at it.

"Okay, now we go start practice," Jake said.

"Alright," Hawkeye said.

In the playground sat Becky, Heather, Margaret, and Corinne.

"I don't think that he is that cute," Heather said.

"Yeah, but if I act right around John, I get what ever I want," Corinne said.

"So you're using him?" Becky asked.

"You bet," Corinne said.

"I should look into that," Becky said.

"It's easy if you find the right guy," Corinne said.

Margaret just sat there quietly as she listened to the others. There was nothing for her to say. She had been there and they had all been around when anything happened. She did disagree with the using the boys, but there was also an interest to it. The thought that she could get what ever she wanted appealed to her. Who didn't that appeal to?

"What about you Mags?" Becky asked.

"Me? I think it's wrong to fake yourself for things, but I guess if you have to," Margaret said.

Heather smiled at her.

"And when would you have to?" Heather asked.

Heather shrugged.

"I don't know. It all depends," Margaret said.

Corinne laughed.

"Like getting the seats?" Corinne asked.

"I don't know. A seat doesn't mean that much to me really," Margaret said.

"Would it mean more to you if it were Tara's seat?" Becky asked.

"I know it would to you," Margaret said.

"Go long!" Hawkeye yelled as he started to throw the ball.

All four girls turned around and watched as they heard him.

"That's that other new kid," Corinne said.

"The one I sit next to," Margaret said.

She was jealous of him. All he had to do was walk into the room and he made friends. No one has turned him down yet. She on the other hand had been turned away from all her class except for Corinne. That was better then her old school. Last time she had no one. One good friend sure beat the hell of having no one.

The ball flew through the air and over Tommy's head. Becky stood up and caught it.

"What was that? You completely missed me!" Tommy said.

"You asked me if I knew how to play, not how good I was," Hawkeye said.

Tommy just sighed and then turned around.

"Can you give us our ball back?" he asked.

Becky smirked.

"I don't think so," she said.

"Oh come on, I need to show Ben how to throw," Tommy said.

"Should have thought about that before you had him throw it to you," Becky said.

Hawkeye came up behind him.

"She's got a point," he said.

"You shut up," Tommy said.

Tommy walked over to Becky.

"Now come on. Please? I can't hurt a girl," Tommy said.

"That's sweet," Becky said.

Becky smiled.

"Okay, here you go," she said tossing it to him.

Tommy turned back towards Hawkeye.

"Sven she can throw better then you," he said.

"How do I take that?" Becky asked.

"How ever you want," Tommy said.

"Okay," Becky said and then went back to go sit down.

"Wait," he said.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Would you like to go out to ice cream?" he asked.

"Sure," Becky said smiling.

Margaret turned around and rolled her eyes.

"Well, thought I'd never see that. A sixth grader going out with an eighth grader," Heather said.

Corinne turned and saw Margaret.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

"Nope," Margaret said.

Truth was, she was jealous. Every one around her was able to make friends and she wasn't. The only reason that she was friends with Corinne was because Corinne came to her. Now her sister was better friends with some of the kids in her class.


	4. Chapter 4

4

Margaret lay in bed. She was having trouble getting to sleep. She could suddenly hear Becky start to quietly laugh.

"What is it?" Margaret asked with annoyance as she turned over.

"Nothing," Becky said.

"What are you reading?" Margaret asked noticing that Becky had a book in her lap.

Becky looked over and smiled. It was a smile that only she could do. The one that meant that she was doing something that she really shouldn't be doing in the first place.

"Dracula," she said.

Margaret sat up and smiled at her.

"Dracula's funny?" Margaret asked.

Becky looked up from her book and shrugged.

"I don't know. Just felt like laughing. You know, one of those things," Becky said.

"You were told not to read that weren't you?" Margaret asked.

"You bet," Becky said.

Margaret greatly envied her little sister. She did what ever she wanted and wasn't about to let any one stop her from it. She hung out with who she wanted and did what she wanted. But most of all, she got away with it. Even if Tara caught her, Becky found a way to keep her from telling.

"You know, I wish I could do that," Margaret said.

"I can let you borrow it after I'm done," Becky said.

"No, that's okay," Margaret said.

"What I meant was that I wish I could get away with stuff," Margaret said.

Becky put her book down.

"How would you know? You've never tried to," Becky said.

That was true. Margaret had always been a goody two shoes. She never wanted to upset her father.

"I don't know, I like having daddy proud of me," Margaret said.

Becky softly smiled at Margaret. She could always tell that they were close. She herself was close to him, but not like Margaret was. Tara on the other hand was close to their mom. Becky was in the middle, but more towards her dad.

"I that's your problem," Becky said.

Margaret poked her head up in interest.

"Daddy?" Margaret asked.

"No. Other people. You let other get in your way. You may think that me reading a book is a big deal, but it's not," Becky said.

"Yes it is," Margaret said.

"Is it? Or is it the fact that I wasn't supposed to be reading it in the first place?" Becky asked.

She did have a point. But of course that was one of the only reasons that she brought it up in the first place. Becky was able to get away with things that she wasn't supposed to do in the first place.

"Mags, you need to learn to stand up for yourself. If you want to do something, either as simple as reading a book or as complicated as having a boyfriend that no one else likes, you should stand up for it. If it truly is wrong, you'll know it. It's a gut feeling. But right now, I don't have that gut feeling, so I know this isn't bad," Becky said.

"When have you ever had a gut feeling?" Margaret asked sarcastically.

"Easy. You know how I at one time had a picture of Tara when she had the mumps?" Becky asked.

"Yes?" Margaret said.

"Well, I was going to post it up all over school. But I didn't," Becky said.

"Why?" Margaret asked.

Becky sighed.

"Because, she hadn't given me a reason to humiliate her like that. She argued with me. I didn't think that was worth making her the social outcast of the entire school," Becky said.

"But what about all those times that she has humiliated you in public?" Margaret asked.

"Me? Please, I don't get embarrassed over what other people do," Becky said.

"Haven't you ever been hurt by what Tara does? I mean just last year she told every one about that rash you had and then handed out pictures of it that had taken while you were asleep," Margaret said.

"How can I get hurt by some one that I don't care about?" Becky asked.

"I think you do care. You just told me that you didn't post that picture because she didn't deserve it," Margaret said.

Becky smiled at her.

"Let me word that differently. Why should I care if people found out something that really did happen? Keeping it a secret won't make it disappear. And besides, we switch schools so often it just doesn't matter," Becky said.

Margaret softly laughed as she looked down and shook her head. She had always seen Becky differently then the rest of her family. Her dad was a Colonel in the army. He was strict and proud of himself. Her mom Stood by his side and did everything that he wanted with a smile while trying to make her self look as high class as she could. Tara, always wanting to be popular (a lot like her mom) and putting herself above others. All three seemed to be similar in some way. But then there was Becky. Free spirited and didn't care what others thought. Margaret looked up at her.

"You know, sometimes you seem more like the older sister," she said.

Becky just smiled at her.

"I think I'll go to sleep now," Becky said.

"Good night," Margaret said as the room darkened from Becky turning her light off.

Hawkeye, John, Corinne, Margaret, Becky and Tommy sat on the edge of a cliff near the beach. It was the middle of fall so they pretty much had the place to them selves. Hawkeye had a letter in his hand.

"What's that?" Becky asked

"A letter," he said.

They didn't know, but he had been reading it over and over again all day.

"Must be pretty good, you've been reading it the whole time we've been here," John said.

"Maybe he it's from his girlfriend," Tommy said.

"I don't have a girlfriend," Hawkeye said.

"I don't see why you wouldn't," Corinne said.

Tommy laughed as he noticed John glare over at Corinne.

"Well then, who is it from?" Becky asked.

"Tommy Gillis. One of my friends from back home," Hawkeye said.

Margaret was now interested. She had only had a few pen pals in her life and knew what it felt like to receive letters from the places you used to live.

"Homesick?" Margaret asked.

Hawkeye looked up and laughed at her.

"That's the first time that I think I've ever heard you speak," he said.

"There's a first for everything," Becky said.

"Yes, I guess I am a little homesick," Hawkeye said.

"Everything's going great? The others finally got around to doing that, while they're trying to beat a new record?" Margaret asked.

Hawkeye's eyebrows raised at her.

"Yeah, how did you know?" he asked.

"I have had those letters sent to me before," Margaret said.

"You new in town to?" Hawkeye asked.

"Yes I am. Got here at the beginning of the school year," she said.

Corinne smiled over at Becky and they both got up and left. Once Tommy realized what they were doing he grabbed John and followed them. Hawkeye sat there preoccupied with reading her the letter.

"How are things where you are at? Over here we are now getting ready for the lobster fest that we have every year. You know how those things go. Too bad you be here to chase the seventh graders around with us. How can we keep the tradition with out you? You only went through half of it. You know how you beat Fred Kerns' record of mouth catching? Well, George now owns that title. When will you be back? We're starting to miss you over here," Hawkeye read.

"Mouth catching?" Margaret asked.

"We would jump into the ocean and see how many fish we could catch in our mouth in a minute. My record was twenty," Hawkeye said.

"Gross," Margaret said.

"Oh come on, there must be some kind of game like that back in your home town," he said.

"No," Margaret said.

She didn't want to start explaining to him that she had been moving all around her whole life.

"Where did you move here from?" Hawkeye asked.

"New Jersey," Margaret said.

"Hey, not too far from me. Maine," he said.

Margaret smiled and then looked around.

"Notice something?" she asked.

"What?" he asked.

"They left us," she said.

Margaret got up and went to go and try to follow the rest. Hawkeye just sat there and sighed as he read his letter over again.


	5. Chapter 5

5

Hawkeye sat in his room as he played with his baseball. It had been a week since he had gotten that letter and ever since then he had been feeling home sick. All it was was a reminder of what he had left behind. Sure, he did have friends here, but it wasn't the same. He was going to be leaving them soon. And most likely he would never see then again. Tonight was Friday and he was going to meet his friends down at the beach that night. He heavily sighed as he looked out his window at the sunset.

"I wish they would get here already so we can get this over with," Hawkeye said to himself.

He decided just to go wait downstairs.

"Hey, do you have any plans tonight?" Daniel asked.

Hawkeye just looked up at him.

"Yes, my friends are coming over to pick me up, but I don't know if I really want to go with them," Hawkeye said.

"Why? Where are you going?" Daniel asked.

"Just down to the beach," he said.

"That sounds like fun. Why wouldn't you want to go?" Daniel asked.

"I don't know," Hawkeye said.

There was a knock at the door. Hawkeye went to go answer it.

"Hey," he said seeing Tommy.

"Hi," Tommy said.

"Are you coming?" he asked.

"Yeah," Hawkeye said and then came out to join him.

Everyone else was standing on the side walk. He went with them and followed them down to the beach. He didn't feel like going out to the beach. It just didn't seem like he could have a fun time. He was quiet most of the way there. He just stared ahead as he could hear the others talk and laugh. He looked back and noticed that the one girl was left out.

"I've seen you before," he said walking over to her.

Margaret looked up at him.

"You sit next to me in home room," she said.

"Maggie?' he asked.

"That's right," she said.

"You're the one from New Jersey," he said.

"That would be me," she said.

"And you're from Maine, right?" she asked.

"Yes," he said.

"The best place there is," he said gazing off ahead. He then looked over at her.

"Of course you probably think the same about New Jersey," he said.

"Yeah," Margaret said.

Honestly, it didn't seem to matter after a while. Every place just seemed the same.

"But I don't think the place matters, just the people that are there," she said.

Hawkeye looked over at her.

"I guess you're right. I'd be having a blast right now if my friends from Maine were here to," he said.

They just kept up with the others as they talked. Once they got to the beach they each just went off and did their separate things. Margaret went and sat up on a cliff as she watched the others have fun. She stared off over the ocean. She wanted more then ever to just be able to stay in one town. The last couple of weeks she had been hearing Ben talk about his home town. Tommy and John didn't mind listening to it as long as they got to do what they wanted while they listened. She herself enjoyed it. As he talked she could imagine herself with friends that actually lasted longer then a few months. Being able to really get to know an area and do what ever you want. Not having to see your dad go away long amounts of time.

"Hey," said a familiar voice.

Margaret turned around and saw Hawkeye.

"Hi," she said turning her attention back to the ocean.

"You know, you should really come out here to see the sun rise," he said.

Hawkeye took a seat next to her.

"My father use to take us to the beach before the sun would rise," Hawkeye said.

Margaret was starting to wonder why this boy kept talking to her. She didn't care, actually she liked the attention, it was just weird for her.

Hawkeye remembered that very well. It was only last summer that his dad would take him and his mother out to see the sun rise. He was there when she had died not too long ago. He was the last person to see her.

"Ben! We're going to get some milkshakes! You want to come?" John asked.

Hawkeye turned and looked over to where they were and then looked over at Margaret.

"No thanks," he said.

"Okay," John said.

Hawkeye turned back around. Margaret softly smiled at him.

"Why didn't you want to go?" she asked.

"I don't know. I was happy right here," he said.

And also, he noticed that they didn't ask her. She was going through a lot of the things he feared would happen to him since he was the new student. He did feel sorry for her. She seemed to keep to herself and very shy.

"You know, no offense, but, you just don't seem like the type of girl from New Jersey," Hawkeye said.

Margaret let out a small laugh and then looked over at him.

"I wish I had a dime for every time I heard that while I was still there," she said.

"You seem more like you're from the west coast," he said.

Margaret gave him a look of surprise.

"Really?" she asked.

"Yes," he said.

"Blonde hair, thin, a little on the taller side. You could pass for a California girl," he said.

"Thank you. That's where I was born," Margaret said.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yes. I'm only thirteen and I've lived on both sides of the country," she said.

Hawkeye looked around. It was now dark out.

"Here, it's getting late, how about I walk you home," he said.

"Okay," she said.

They both got up and looked out at the ocean.

"What do you say we take a walk along the shore line before we leave?" he asked.

"That sounds good," Margaret said.

She was just happy to be with some one besides Becky. She did have Corrine and she loved Becky, but this was a little bit different. They climbed down off of the small cliff that they were on and took their shoes and socks off. Hawkeye took her hand and lead her to the shore line. They walked along as the waves came up and made their feet wet. Once they were a little ways from where they were originally, Hawkeye stopped and turned to face Margaret and grinned at her.

Margaret didn't know what to do. She was awaiting a kiss. The very first kiss.

He gently shoved her down into the water. Hardly what she was waiting for. But what ever, it was all in fun. Margaret shot him a look of insult which changed Hawkeye's mood. He went from cheerful to sorry within seconds.

"Look, I didn't mean to hurt you," he said extending his hand.

Margaret took his hand and smiled. She pulled him down and then got up.

"You are so easy," she said laughing.

"Not that easy!" he shouted as he got up and started chasing her.

They spent the next few minutes chasing each other.

"I guess we should get home," Hawkeye said.

"But I'm soaking wet, what am I supposed to tell my parents?" she asked.

"Maybe if we walk slow you'll dry off a bit before we get there," he said.

"Alright," she said as she squeezed some of the water out of the bottom of her dress.

That night she had had more fun then she had had at most of the other places that she had lived so far. Mostly she had to deal with the snobs and the jerks. Here she still had that, but Corinne always kept her away from that.

They walked slowly back to her house. The entire way they were both pretty quiet. She stopped once they got to her house.

"This is it," Margaret said.

Hawkeye smiled at her.

"Bye," he said.

"Thank you," she said.

"For what?" he asked.

"Just for tonight," she said.

"Okay. Your welcome," he said.

Margaret walked up to the house and went inside.

"Hello Margaret," Alvin said.

"Some one's in trouble," Tara said.

Alvin looked up at Tara.

"No she's not. Look at the time. She still has ten minutes left until her curfew," he said.

Tara frowned as Margaret smiled over at her.

"I think I'm going to go to bed now," Margaret said.

"Okay, good night," Alvin said.

"Good night daddy," she said.

Margaret went upstairs leaving Tara to stare in shock at her father.

"Daddy! She was late! And you know it!" Tara said.

Alvin looked over at her.

"First off she was only late by thirty seconds. Second, she's never even had to have a curfew because she never goes out. I let it go because I think she needs to have contact with other people," Alvin said.

"But I get in trouble every time I come home just a little late," Tara whined.

"That's because you're always late. Besides, I can trust Margaret more then I can trust you," Alvin said.

"But she's only thirteen and I'm fifteen," Tara said.

"But you act four and she acts like a lonely twenty year old. Trust me Tara, she needs to get out every once in a while. There is no job out there that has you by yourself twenty four seven. Besides, she says that someday she'll get into the army. If she does that she'll need to learn how to work with others and to work with others you have learn how to be with others," he said.

"Do you really want us to go into the army?" Tara asked.

"I'm not big on my little girls going to the front line. That's why there isn't girls on the front line. Nobody's big on the idea of having their girls go out there. But if there is some way other then having to fight I'm all for it," he said.

Alvin was happy that Margaret did get out for a change. When they were back in New Jersey she didn't have any friends and all she did was stay around the house. He knew that if she did get the chance to go some where with friends not to interfere. He would after she would start going some out all the time, but when it was only once in a while he was okay with her staying out a little later. He knew not to trust Tara or Becky out later unless Becky was with Margaret because Becky would do anything you told her not to do and Tara liked boys way too much to be out late.

Margaret walked into the bedroom and saw Becky laying on the bed with a pad of paper in front of her.

"Good," Becky said looking up at Margaret.

"Could you stay still for a little bit? I'm trying to draw," Becky said.

Becky often liked to draw, and she wasn't bad at it either. She kept a folder of her drawings and would show them off to others. They were mainly drawings of her family members.

"Okay, let me sit down first," Margaret said.

Margaret went over to her bad and leaned her head against the wall.

"Could you tilt your head more down?" Becky asked.

Margaret did as she said.

"So, how was your night? We lost you after we left the beach," Becky said.

"It was good," Margaret said.

"Your clothes smell like salt water," Becky said.

"We got a little wet. Ben decided to push me into the water and then I pulled him down and then he chased me," Margaret said.

"You like Ben don't you?" Becky asked.

"Maybe. I don't know. He was one of the only ones to really talk to me. I mean, Corinne talks to me, but it's like he knows what it feels like to move and I guess I can connect to that," Margaret said.

"His dad in the army?" Becky asked.

"No, he said that he spent his entire life in Maine," Margaret said.

"Ah," Becky said.

"Maybe you two can go do something by yourselves, although, I don't think you two care whether or not others are around," Becky said.

"I guess not if that's how we keep ending up every time," Margaret said.

Hawkeye walked into his house.

"Sorry I'm late dad, had to walk some one home," he said.

"Oh yeah? Who?" Daniel asked.

"Maggie," he said.

A smile came across Daniel's face.

"A girl huh?" he asked.

"Yeah," Hawkeye said.

Hawkeye went and sat down on the couch. Talking about his mom made him think about the last few years. He knew that she had been sick. There was always clues. He was finally told the morning that they knew she wouldn't make it. Her final wish was to say good bye to her son.

(_"Hi mom," Hawkeye said as he quietly walked into the hospital room._

_The room had a coldness to it. Like there was no doubt about her dying. He walked over to the bed and saw his mother as she weakly smiled at him. Her eyes rimmed with water. He had not seen her for a while. She had lost a lot of weight and was looking pail and fragile. _

"_Hi Benny," she said._

_She was the only one that ever called him Benny and would always be the only to ever call him that._

"_How have you been? I haven't seen you in a long time," she said._

"_Pretty good. How about you?" he asked._

"_I'm okay. Trust me. I just missed you," she said._

"_I missed you to," he said._

_She reached over and grabbed a small ring. It was a small gold band with a small pink rose on it._

"_I know it's a very cheap ring, but this was the first thing that your father ever got me. He won it at a carnival for me. I was having a rough night. That night I found out that my sister was ill and he gave this to me to try and cheer me up," she said and then handed it to him._

"_Now I want you to give this a girl that you like some day. Choose carefully who you give it to," she said._

"_I will," he said as he put it into his pocket._

"_But tell them the story behind it first so that they don't think that you're just handing them a cheap toy," she said._

"_I will," he said again._

_She grabbed his hand and started to cry._

"_Benny, I want you to know something. I love very much and nothing will ever change that. You probably know that I'm not coming back home and I just wanted to let you know that I loved you. Even when you got into trouble and I got mad at you," she said._

"_I love you to mom," he said tightening his grip._

"_Just try and be good for your daddy okay? And just remember I love you, okay?" she asked._

"_Okay," he said._

_He heard a slight groan from her and then total silence hit the room._

"_Mom?" he asked._

_Nothing._

"_Mom?" he tried again._

_Still nothing._

"_Bye mom," he said and then left the room._)

"Dad? Do you mind if tomorrow we get up to catch the sun rise?" he asked.

"Sure," Daniel said.

"You should probably get to bed now if you want to get up that early," Daniel said.

"Okay. Good night dad," he said and then walked up to his room.


	6. Chapter 6

6

Hawkeye woke up to the alarm clock. It was four in the morning. He knew that was very early, but he wanted to catch the sun rise over the ocean. He got u and so did his dad. It was just like what they would do in Maine, except his mother wasn't with them. That was the only difference. With only very few words between them they walked down to the beach.

"Thanks dad," he said as they sat down on the same little cliff that he and Margaret had sat on the night before.

"Your welcome," he still half asleep.

They sat there and watched as the sun rose over the ocean. It reminded him of his mother. It was staring to soak in that when he went home, she wouldn't be there. She would never be there again when he came home. He also knew that things weren't going to be the same when he got back home. His dad had already told him that he would have to help out more around the house. He would also have to come home to an empty house. School got out at three and Daniel got home from work a little after five.

"Things are going to be different when we get home aren't thing?' Hawkeye asked.

"Of course," Daniel said.

"But keep in mind your life would be changing no matter what," Daniel said.

"What?" Hawkeye asked.

"You're still getting older. Next year you're going into high school. You're going to have to start taking your school work a little bit more seriously then you do now," he said.

"What's wrong with my work now?" Hawkeye asked.

"Nothing, if you like straight C's" Daniel said.

"Do you think you'll ever going to get married again?" Hawkeye asked.

"I don't know. Why? Would you like me to?" he asked.

"No," Hawkeye said.

"Why not? You might get a little brother or sister out of it," Daniel said.

"Please no. I'm right across the hall," Hawkeye said.

Daniel looked down at Hawkeye.

"That's what I'll probably be telling you some day," he said.

"Just hope that's not too soon," Daniel said.

Hawkeye just had a smirk on his face.

"Don't think I don't see that," Daniel said.

Hawkeye quickly wiped the smirk off his face.

Margaret woke up. It was about ten. She looked over and saw Becky still sleeping.

"Becky," she called out.

No movement at all.

"Becky," she tried again.

There was still nothing.

"Becky! Wake up! It's your birthday!" Margaret yelled as she threw a pillow over at Becky.

Becky slowly sat up and looked over.

"What?" she asked.

"October 14th!" Margaret said.

"Geeze, you're mad for somebody else's birthday," Becky said.

"It's ten! We can't be sleeping in all the time," Margaret said.

Becky sat u and smiled over at Margaret.

"Why can't you ever do that in front of others?" she asked.

"What?" Margaret asked.

"Let them know what you want. Actually be outspoken. I mean, I wouldn't want you to sound demanding all the time. But when you're with Tara or out in public you shut yourself up," Becky said.

"Maybe I don't want to let every one know what's on my mind," Margaret said.

Becky just rolled her eyes as she got out of bed. They both got dressed and headed down stairs.

"About time you two got down here," Alvin said.

"It's Saturday," Kate said.

"So? Today I have something important to do," Alvin said.

"What? House train Becky?" Tara asked.

"Probably wants to sell that zit of your as advertisement space," Becky said.

Tara nervously looked up.

"You really noticed it?' she asked.

"Yep," Becky said.

"Oh no," she said as she got up and ran towards the bathroom.

Alvin just sighed.

"Come here Becky," he said.

Becky walked over and took a seat at the table across from him.

"Happy birthday," he told her as he handed her a box.

"Thank you," she said as she took it.

Becky closely looked it over and then opened it.

"It's beautiful," she said.

It was a small gold locket that had Rebecca inscribed on it. Margaret smiled as she walked over.

"Hold your hair up for me and I'll put it on for you," Margaret said.

Becky smiled as she held the locket in her hand. She stood up and went over to Alvin and kissed him.

"Thank you daddy," she said.

"Your welcome. Happy birthday," he said.

Kate came over and kissed Becky.

"That's from the both of us," Kate said and then sat down next to Alvin.

"Now if we can get Tara out of the bathroom and back in here I can tell you all what I need to tell you," Alvin said.

"Oh, that's easy," Becky said.

"Robbie's on the phone!" Becky yelled out.

Tara came running into the kitchen.

"Don't you dare!" she started but stopped once she noticed that the phone hadn't even rang.

"No, no one's on the phone, daddy just wanted to talk to all of us," Becky said.

Tara sighed as she went and sat down.

"I can't take this any longer," Tara said.

"You're such a drama queen," Margaret said.

"At least I'm not a goody two shoes," Tara said.

"Oh yes Robbie. Anything for you," Becky said mockingly.

"Will you two stop for ten minutes?" Kate asked getting annoyed.

"You're father obviously has something important to tell us and all you do is sit around and argue," Kate said.

"Now could you please all sit down?" he asked.

Margaret and Becky took their seats and listened to what Alvin had to say.

"Now, there was a new group of young men brought in from West Point. I was chosen to be the one to take them out and actually show them what a day in the army would be like. I'm scheduled to take them out onto an island not too far off of the coast," he said.

Margaret smiled.

"Congratulations," she said.

"Thanks, but I won't be home until after Christmas," he said.

Every body's face fell.

"When are you leaving?" Becky asked.

"At two today I have to be at the base," he said.

"Oh," Becky said.

In the past all three girls had had birthdays without their dad. Even though they were used to him leaving, none of them liked it.

"I'm sorry," Alvin said.

"I understand," Becky said.


	7. Chapter 7

7

Hawkeye walked into the classroom and saw everybody in there doing what ever they usually did. Tommy watched with amusement as John tried to talk to Corinne. Today he wasn't feeling quite himself. He looked over and saw Margaret quietly sitting by herself. He took his seat next to her and sat there for a minute. He was starting to like her and wanted to start up conversation with her.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"Why?' she asked.

"You just looked a little sad. That's all," he said.

In the back of the classroom sat Rhonda Higginson. She was with Judy and Katie.

"What do you think of the new kid?" Rhonda asked.

"I hate her," Judy said.

"No! The boy," she said.

"I'd date him," Katie said.

Rhonda glared over at Katie.

"But he's all yours if you want him," Katie said.

"If only I could get him to stop hanging out with that little brat up there," Rhonda said.

"Try letting him know that he's accepted. He's probably only with her because they're both new," Judy said.

"Good point," Rhonda said.

Rhonda went to her desk and pulled out a piece of paper and started writing.

Margaret looked over at Hawkeye.

"You don't look too good yourself," she said.

Hawkeye looked over at her.

"Have you ever had something bad happen, but it takes a while for it to finally sink in, and once it does, you hate it?" he asked.

Margaret knew that feeling very well. It was a feeling of realization. When everything hit you. It used to happen to her every time she moved. Now it didn't phase her much, but it used to.

"Yes. What happened?" she asked.

"Well," he started but was stopped when Rhonda came and stood in front of his desk.

"Hello?" he said.

"Hi. Just read this," she said handing it to him and then walked away.

Hawkeye opened the note and read it over.

"Meet me at the park after school. It's urgent," he said.

Hawkeye looked up at Margaret.

"I don't know whether or not I should," he said.

"What are you asking me for?" Margaret asked.

"How about you come with me?" he asked.

"Alright," she said.

After school, Margaret and Hawkeye separated from their usual group and headed down to the park. They were about half way there when they started talking.

"So, what were you going to tell me earlier?" she asked.

"About what?" Hawkeye asked.

"About something sinking in," she said.

"Oh yeah. I was going to tell you that um, something finally sunk in," he said.

"What?" she asked.

"Do you know the reason that I moved here?" Hawkeye asked.

"No," she said.

"Well, nobody does. You're going to be the first to hear it," he said.

"What happened?" she asked.

"A few months ago, my mother fell very ill and then died. We moved down here to live with my Aunt Jackie," he said.

"I'm sorry," she said.

They finally arrived at the park.

"Great," Rhonda said.

"He brought that little tramp along," she said.

They both approached her.

"Hey," Hawkeye said.

"Hi Ben," she said smiling.

"And, who ever you are," she said looking at Margaret.

"What did you want? I have football practice?" Hawkeye asked.

"I wanted to invite you behind the bleachers this Friday. It's only reserved for eighth graders," she said.

"Well," Hawkeye started to grin at that idea.

Margaret didn't know why, but she was feeling jealous.

"I'll go with you," Margaret said.

Rhonda laughed.

"Yeah right. The two misfits making out," she said.

"Well Ben, if you change your mind and decide to have a good time, you know where to reach me," she said and then walked off.

Hawkeye looked over at Margaret.

"Do you have any idea what you just agreed to?" he asked.

"No," she said.

"But I do know that Corinne and John are going together," Margaret said.

"Even Becky has gotten invited to go behind the bleachers," Margaret said.

"Did she?" he asked.

"She went with Tommy. She's still a virgin," Margaret said.

"Yeah. All you're supposed to do here is make out. I hear high school is when that changes," Hawkeye said.

They started walking back to her house. He was going to drop her off and then go back home.

"Have you ever?" Margaret asked.

"What? Make out? No. I never got the chance to. My mom was sick and I just wasn't in the mood. I did get invites, but I just couldn't do it," Hawkeye said.

"So you definitely haven't," Margaret started.

"No. Have you?" he asked.

"Not yet, but my older sister Tara has," Margaret said.

"How do you know? Did she tell you?" Hawkeye asked.

"No, but Becky and I walked in on her and took pictures. They're now used as black mail against her," Margaret said.

They got to her house and stopped.

"Hey Margaret, if you really want to go I'll take you. Just be at my house at eight on Friday," he said.

"Okay," Margaret said smiling.


	8. Chapter 8

8

Rhonda and Judy sat at the lunch table.

"I can't believe it. I just believe it. He would rather waste his time on some little twit then go with a pro," Rhonda said.

"How good can you make yourself sound if you're a pro?" Judy asked.

"True. I'm still a virgin. I've got that going for me," she said.

"That's good," Judy said.

"Try going to his house tonight before he leaves to go get her. Maybe convince him that you're the better choice. If you know what I mean," Judy said.

"Just go up and kiss him? Okay, that's easy," Rhonda said.

"Alright then, do it," Judy said.

Over at the other table sat Hawkeye, Tommy, and John.

"So you really gonna join us tonight?" Tommy asked.

"You bet," Hawkeye said.

"Who are you taking?" John asked.

"Maggie," Hawkeye said.

"Really? I heard that Rhonda asked you," Tommy said.

"So?" Hawkeye asked.

"Look at her! Now tell me that you didn't just make the hugest mistake of your life," Tommy said.

"Come on, Maggie's pretty. She's just modest," Hawkeye said.

"I'll agree to that," John said.

Margaret sat with Corinne and Kathy.

"You're going with Ben?" Kathy asked.

"So?" Maggie asked.

"That's terrific!" Corinne said.

"Now you will fit in. I mean he's better looking then most of the boys in the eighth grade," Kathy said.

Margaret smiled. She liked the idea of finally fitting in some where. She was used to being the misfit.

That night both Margaret and Becky sat in their bed room getting ready. They knew that they had to dress up for it. They had told their mom that they were just going to a party and that they would be home by eleven. She agreed to it because Margaret was going to be with her.

"How do I look?" Becky asked walking in.

Becky's hair was pulled up while leaving loose blonde curls to sit on her shoulders. She had on a light blue shirt which brought out her eyes along with a black skirt and low heels.

"Great. How about me?" Margaret asked.

Margaret was wearing a dress that came down right below her knees. It was white and had a rose pattern on it. The collar was a V neck with frill around the edge and frill around the shoulders and around the bottom. She was also wearing white heels. Her hair was down.

"Wow," Becky said.

"A bit revealing aren't we?" Becky asked.

"Don't worry, I've got a shawl," Margaret said.

"A bit dressy aren't we? We're going to be on the ground," Becky said.

"I'm proud of you. Just put on a sweater so that you can get passed mom," Becky said.

"Taken care of," Margaret said pointing to the one laying on her bed.

"Alright, let's go," Becky said.

"Okay," Margaret said.

Margaret went to grab the sweater. On her way out of the room she stopped and looked at her self in the mirror. This wasn't her. This wasn't anything like her. But there was a feeling of being wanted along with it. As she got older she could see that the boys were a little interested in her, but never did anything because they knew that she would never do anything with them. This was the only to feel accepted. She knew that if she were accepted by the boys the girls would learn to accept her.

Hawkeye sat on his porch with a rose in his hand. He hadn't actually went out and bought it, it was from the neighbor's garden. He wasn't nervous, but rather excited. Rhonda came walking around the corner and stood before him.

"Hey Ben!" she called out.

Hawkeye stood up.

"Sorry, waiting for Maggie," he said.

"We'll see about that," Rhonda said.

Margaret and Becky were walking down the street.

"Here, you can cut through over there and meet with Tommy. I'll just go this way and then we can meet at the school," Margaret said.

"Alright," Becky said.

Margaret kept walking as she told herself that everything was going to go okay that night.

Hawkeye stood on his porch against the railing as Rhonda stood before him.

"Look, Rhonda," he started.

"Shh," she said putting her finger on his mouth.

She then leaned in and started kissing him.

Margaret came around the corner and saw them.

"No," she said softly to herself.

Her chance of fitting in. The only boy that seemed to actually care about. That had all disappeared. The one that she thought had cared about her was on his porch already making out with some girl that he didn't know. He chose that girl over her.

"Well, back to being no one," she said and then walked away.


	9. Chapter 9

9

Rhonda stood back and smiled at Hawkeye who just stayed there against the railing with his eyes wide open.

"You were right about one thing," he said.

"And what was that?" she asked.

"You can definitely kiss," he said.

"So why don't you forget about little miss Maggie and take me?" she asked.

"Who?" Hawkeye asked.

"Maggie," she said.

Hawkeye stood up.

"I forgot about her," he said.

"I've got to go," he said as he quickly walked passed her and down the street.

Margaret walked over to the beach and sat on the cliff. It was dark out and there seemed to be a light breeze. She just sat there and thought. Everything was going wrong for her. Any where she went. Fake. Fake friends, fake caring, and now even fake love. Corinne was still there for her. But she didn't get along with her as well as she did Ben. It was like they each knew what the other was going through, but that was over now. Her former theory was right. Just don't get close to any one. You can't get hurt if you don't try to fit in.

"Maggie?"

Margaret turned around. She saw Ben standing there with a rose in his hand. If she weren't so mad at him it would truly be romantic. Then again, why should she be mad? She's thirteen. No one is serious about relationships when they're young kids. All he was doing was what a normal young boy would do. Experiment.

"Hey," she said trying not to show that she was hurt.

She always felt that showing true feelings made you more vulnerable. That was something that she did not want to be at the moment.

"You never came by and I couldn't find you at your house so I checked here," he said.

"Well, here I am," she said.

"Yep. Mind if I join you?" he asked.

"Why? Wouldn't you rather join Rhonda behind the bleachers?" she asked coldly.

"Oh, you saw that," he said.

Margaret stood up and turned around.

"Yeah! I saw it! It may be no big deal to you Ben but that was a huge deal to me!" Margaret said getting angry while fighting back tears.

Margaret hated this feeling. She felt as if she had just been set up. As if it was all a joke. He asked her to go make out when she hasn't even kissed any one yet and she finds him with the girl that hates her. For once she thought she fit in somewhere and now she feels like fool who fell for a simple joke.

"Maggie," he said.

"Look, you may be used to getting asked to this kind of stuff but this was my very first time. I've never been asked by a boy to do anything!" she said.

"Hey! I didn't mean to kiss her," he said.

"You didn't mean?" she asked but then got choked up.

She gave out a small laugh and shook her head.

"I've always heard that it took two people to kiss," she said.

"What is the big deal? I can still take you to the bleachers," he said.

"You don't get it all do you?" she asked.

"No! No I don't," Hawkeye said.

"Well try this! I've been moving from state to state my whole life! I've never had any one outside of my family care for me! Then you come along and I think that you may actually care about my feelings. But I've got news for you buddy! You're just like any one else I've met!" she yelled.

"Yeah? Maybe because you go around and act like some kind of drama queen!" Hawkeye said.

Margaret stood there as tears started to stream down her face. Hawkeye saw that she was crying and went over to her.

"Hey, hey don't cry. I'm sorry," he said.

She looked up at him. He did think that she truly looked beautiful with the moon shining it's reflection in her hair. He took his hand and wiped away the tear. She liked his hand on her cheek. It was comforting.

Hawkeye took the rose and held it up.

"You still want it? I risked my like going over to Mr. Kinsley's for it," he said.

"Thank you," she said taking the rose.

Margaret studied it and then put it in her hair.

They stood there and watched each other for a minute. Suddenly, with out either of them really knowing why, they leaned in and kissed. Margaret had her arms around his neck as his lips pressed against hers. This was her first kiss. She couldn't tell, but she thought that she felt something. This was obviously not Hawkeye's first kiss but he did enjoy this one more. He had his arms around her waist. The only thing that some what ruined this for Margaret was that he was trying to lower his hands. Other wise it was great. Neither of them knew how long they had been kissing.

Hawkeye finally stood back.

"I can tell you that you're better then Rhonda," he said.

"Thanks," she said.

Margaret had a feeling of vertigo. She had no idea of what had just happened.

"Not so bad yourself but I really have nothing to compare it to," she said.

"Thank you," Hawkeye said.

Hawkeye put his arm around her and led her off the cliff.

"You want to go down the beach?" he asked.

"Ben, my mom will kill me if I get this dress dirty," she said.

"Then why were you about to wear it to the school where we would be sitting on the dirt?" he asked.

Margaret shrugged.

"I just wanted to do something special," she said.

"I like it. You still want to go to the bleachers?" Hawkeye asked.

Margaret looked around.

"I like this better," she said.

"Me to," he said as he grabbed her hand.

Maria sat behind the bleachers. Tommy had his arms around her as she sat in his lap.

"Have….you….seen…Ben…..or…..Maggie……yet?" she asked between kisses.

"No," he said.

Becky looked up and smiled as he kissed her neck.

"You think we should stop and take a look around for them?" she asked.

"Not until I finish," he said.

"This is as far as you're getting mister," she said stiffly.

Tommy backed away from her and sat up.

"Okay,' he said.

They both got up and walked over to the other as they looked through the crowd.

"I wonder where they are," Becky said.

Hawkeye and Margaret sat in the sand as they kissed. Each holding each other. They weren't really sure if they actually felt anything. They were kids, but they knew that they liked being where they were and doing what they were doing.


	10. Chapter 10

10

Margaret sat in the same pose that she had before as she posed for Becky to draw her. Ever since the night on the beach she had felt differently. Wanted. Well, that feeling was about to end. This week was the week before thanksgiving. Her cousin Brenda was worse then Tara was. They got together and made Margaret's life miserable.

"You have been extremely happy for a while. What happened?" Becky asked.

Margaret hadn't told any one about her kiss with Ben. She felt it was more special if it was just something between them.

"I have my reasons," Margaret said.

"What? Did you two make out?" Becky asked.

"Must you ruin it?" Margaret asked.

Becky smirked.

"So you did," she said.

"Of course we did," Margaret said.

"Maybe if he's not doing anything you can invite him over for Thanksgiving," Becky said.

"Becky, who isn't busy on Thanksgiving?" she asked.

"Just a thought," Becky said.

"Although, dinner wouldn't be a bad idea would it?" Margaret asked.

"No, it's great. Mom will get to see him and Tara will get jealous. I love the idea," Becky said.

"Of course you do. But I don't think he would like to come here," Margaret said.

"Why not?" Becky asked.

"Look at this place. Our father's gone, our mom has to keep a perfect house and Tara runs around like the world is going to end if the boys don't try and study her," Margaret said.

"What about me?" Becky asked.

"Whet about you?" Margaret asked.

"Why wouldn't you want him to see me?" Becky asked.

Margaret raised her eyebrow in confusion.

"You're kidding me right?" she asked.

"Why would I kid about something like that?" Becky asked.

"You've already met him," Margaret said.

Becky sighed as she put her sketch book down and looked up at Margaret.

"Does your family embarrass you?" Becky asked.

"Well, Tara maybe, but she's good for a laugh," Margaret said.

Becky smiled at her. She knew the real reason. Margaret never brought any one over that her dad wouldn't approve of. There was nothing wrong with Ben, it was just that her dad wasn't there to approve of him. Margaret only did half the things she did just to please her dad.

Hawkeye sat in the living room with Jackie and Daniel.

"You know, we're going to have a full house here for Thanksgiving," Daniel said.

"I know," Hawkeye said.

"Do you think maybe you could help with the dinner?" Jackie asked.

Hawkeye gave her a look of annoyance.

"You mean in the kitchen?" he asked.

"No, in the back yard where you can dig up worms for every one. What do you think?" Jackie asked.

"Do I have to?" Hawkeye asked.

"Well, I guess not," she said.

There was a knock at the door and Jackie went to go get it. After she left Daniel leaned over and grabbed Hawkeye's shoulder.

"I think you should help out this year," he said.

Hawkeye looked back at him.

"Alright," he said.

Daniel smiled.

"Good," he said.

Jackie came walking in with Margaret. Hawkeye smiled at her. She wasn't wearing anything special, just a pink dress that came down a little past her knees, white buckle shoes and white jacket with matching white bows tied around her pigtails, but he found it to be very pretty on her.

"Hi Maggie," he said.

"Hi Ben," she said.

Hawkeye stood up and went over to her.

"Would you like to go outside?" he asked.

"Sure," she said.

They both walked out as Daniel and Jackie smiled at them.

"Cute when they're young," he said.

"Too bad it won't ever amount to anything," Jackie said.

Daniel turned to her and gave her a look of confusion and disbelief.

"Why do you say that?" he asked.

"Danny, this isn't a fairytale. These two kids live in different parts of the country. The chance of them ever seeing each other again after you move back is very slim," she said.

"How do you know that? They can see each other when ever we come down to visit," he said.

"Yes, they can visit each other, but do you think they can stay together like that?" Jackie asked.

Daniel sighed as he shook his head.

"You are so negative," he said.

"I have a right to be. Once got my heart broken by a long distance relationship," she said and then left the room.

Hawkeye and Margaret sat out on the front porch. There was a cool breeze as the sun began to set. Margaret was there for a reason. She wanted to know if she could really trust Ben. Many people that she had trusted had hurt her. There was no way that she was about to get herself into that again. More often then not she was distant from people, but once she got to know some one she really wanted to know who they were. If they would hurt her.

"Something wrong? You seem a bit nervous about something," Hawkeye said.

Margaret looked as if she had just come out of a trance as she turned to him.

"What?" she asked.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I just came over to ask you a question," she said.

"You could have just called me," he said.

Margaret's heart sank at that. Now she felt silly.

"Never mind," she said standing up.

"Wait," Hawkeye called.

"It must be something good if you walked all the way down here to ask it," he said.

Margaret stopped and turned around to face him.

"Why should I trust you?" she asked.

Hawkeye just blankly stared at her. He had no idea what brought this up. Was there a rumor that was going around that maybe only he could start? Did he say something? Do something?

"Am I trouble? I know you sure can't be. All we did was kiss over and over again," he said.

Margaret laughed at his nervousness and then joined him on the bench.

"No. It's just," Margaret said.

She looked up into his eyes and stared for a minute.

"Just what?" he asked.

"I just need to know," she said.

Hawkeye just stared at her. He was still confused.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't you?" he asked.

"Let's just say that I couldn't trust the last boy that I was with," Margaret said.

Now Hawkeye was very interested.

"Why? What happened?" he asked.

Margaret watched him for a second as if she were seeing if she truly could trust him. She then lowered her collar revealing a large scar on her chest.


	11. Chapter 11

11

Hawkeye's eyes widened.

"Do you realize how quickly you'd fit in with the boys in our class if you showed them that?" he asked.

Margaret lifted her collar back up and straighten out her clothes.

"I don't want any attention for it," she said.

Hawkeye then remembered what they were just talking about earlier.

"You think I would that to you?" he asked unsure of why she just showed him that.

"I would hope not," Margaret said.

"What happened?" Hawkeye asked.

Margaret could clearly remember that night. It had happened about a year ago. That was the only time that she was thankful to move away. To get far away from some one else. Then it hit her. She was going to leave this place just like she had left the others. Once daddy came home he would stay for a little bit and then they would be off to another state, another army base. That was the way her life had been so far. Why should this be any different? This was only making it harder on herself to leave. It was hard enough to leave Corinne, but now she was really getting attached to this boy in front of her. Laughing and playing together on the beach, giving her her first kiss, earning her trust. For the first time, she was making a really close friend. Maybe even her first boyfriend. But that wasn't going to matter to her parents. They would still move away. Besides, she knew that he himself would be going back to Maine. It was like they were both just on some sort of vacation. She didn't want to go any further with her story, but with the way he was watching her and waiting, she figured that she had to continue now.

"Well, I had this boyfriend, Joey. We never kissed or anything, but we went every where together. Every once in a while, he would come to school with injuries that were pretty bad. But we didn't think much of it you know. What twelve year old boy doesn't get hurt? Anyways, he didn't tell me that it was his own father. He wanted to get away from him, which I can see. But, he didn't tell me! Instead he used me. He brought me over to his house, upset his father and then had me sit there getting hurt by his father while he ran away!" Margaret said with tears starting to go down her cheeks.

"He told his father we were going to run away together and he hated the idea. Mostly he hated me for taking son away. So to take care of that he punched me a few times and then got a knife out. I guess you can figure out the rest," Margaret said.

Hawkeye just stared at her in disbelief.

"Don't cry Maggie. Please don't cry. My dad's nice," Hawkeye said, although it sounded more like he was actually begging.

Margaret calmed herself down as well as she could and looked up at him. She could easily see how uncomfortable he was with the situation.

"Maybe I should just leave," she said.

Margaret started to stand up but Hawkeye grabbed her shoulder.

"Wait," he said.

"Yes?" she asked sitting back down.

"Were you seriously thinking that I would do that?" he asked.

"No. But you did want to know why I was asking if I could trust you. I was just letting you know why I would have a hard time trusting any body," she said.

"Is that why you never told me why you move around so much?" he asked.

Margaret gave him a look of confusion.

"How did you know that we move a lot?" she asked.

"You told me. Remember?" he asked.

"Oh yeah," Margaret said.

Margaret looked down. Hawkeye had no idea what was going on. He meets this girl who doesn't talk much and then becomes close to him. She was just very vulnerable. Then again, he guessed he was too. Probably not seen by others as vulnerable, but he knew he was. Maybe that's what attracted them to each other. New kids, some where that they're not used to. But there was one huge difference. He was willing to tell others what was going on. Practically every one knew that he was just staying with Aunt and that his mother had died. He didn't care as long as nobody else brought it up. But no one seemed to know anything about Margaret. She was a closed book.

"Why?' he asked.

"Didn't Becky ever tell you?" she asked.

"No," Hawkeye said.

Margaret looked up at him.

"My dad is in the army," she said.

"Why would you keep that a secret? You make it sound like it's a bad thing," he said.

"I don't know," she said.

That was how Margaret and Becky were different. Any body could become friends with Becky. She was willing to tell her life story. She was also willing to do what ever she wanted when ever she wanted regardless of what others thought. Margaret however, cared. She didn't want people to get close so that it would be easier when it came to leaving. The most important thing to her was her father's opinion of her. She would do anything as long as it meant pleasing her father.

"I just didn't want people to really get to know me," Margaret said.

She looked up at Hawkeye and saw concerned eyes. Most of the time he was with Tommy and John and they were just out to have fun. Anytime she saw them together they were laughing about something or trying some stupid stunt just for the hell of it. He interested her. One moment he could be laughing and making a joke out of everything around him, but then he could sit back and talk to you like this. Like he cared. Sure, he would tell you anything you wanted to know about him, but she found something mysterious about him. About the way that he never seemed anything other then happy when he was in a crowd. The way that nobody else seemed to intimidate him. And the way he would tell you a story with out actually telling you everything. Or, at least, that's how it was to her.

"Why not?" Hawkeye asked.

"When you move around as much as we do, you learn that it's easier to leave when you know that you won't miss anybody," Margaret said.

"You're telling me that you just go place to place without making any friends?" he asked.

"Most times," she said.

She just smiled at him.

"You know, it's funny, I move all the time and still haven't learned how to fit in with the other kids, and you move one time and the very first day you make a group of friends. You fit in, I mean, you even had the chance of being with the most popular girl in the eighth grade. You know that any of those boys would do anything to go on a date with her?" Margaret asked.

"Maybe because I let people get to know me," Hawkeye said.

"Maybe I have and it didn't work out for me," Margaret said.

"Well, you let me get to know you and nothing bad has happened," he said.

"Yeah," Margaret said smiling.

"I have to get back inside for dinner. Would you like to join us tonight?" he asked.

"No, my parents are expecting me home," Margaret said.

"Okay. Bye," Hawkeye said.

Margaret sat there and watched him go back inside.

"Bye," she said and then got up and started walking back home.


	12. Chapter 12

12

Margaret stood in the kitchen making the mashed potatoes. They were going to have the family come over to their house for Thanksgiving that year.

"Mother!" Tara whined as she walked into the kitchen in her robe and her hair wrapped up in a towel.

"What is it?" Elisabeth asked with out turning her attention away from the stove.

"I have nothing to wear!" Tara whined.

She turned around to face Tara.

"What is the matter with you? You have plenty of clothes! And what are doing with that wet towel? Your dripping water through the house! You were supposed to get your shower last night! We have to pick up the guests from the airport in two hours!" Elisabeth yelled.

Tara looked timid as she backed up. She had upset her mom and knew it. Becky turned to her and smiled.

"Maybe you should wear the outfit that grandma had bought you last Christmas?" Becky asked.

Tara raised her eyebrow at her.

"That's a good idea. Go put that on," Elisabeth said.

Both Becky and Margaret snickered.

"Do I have to?" Tara asked.

"Yes, your grandmother spent a lot of time picking that out for you, now go put it on," she ordered.

"Alright," Tara said.

She walked to the doorway and glared over at Becky as she left the room. Becky just laughed and then turned to Margaret.

"I feel better now," she said.

Margaret smiled as she agreed.

Hawkeye sat in the living with his father and uncle as they watched football.

"How long until dinner?" Hawkeye asked.

"I don't know. Ask your Aunt," Daniel said.

Hawkeye sighed and stared out the window. It was pretty outside as the leaves began to change a little. He was taken out of his trance when he felt a hand on each of his shoulders.

"Hello Hawkeye," two little girls said simultaneously.

"Oh no," he said lowering his head.

"Do you want to play a game?" Mandy asked.

"Not really," he said.

"How about now?" Sandy asked.

"No," he said.

The two girls giggled as they just stood there over him.

"Dad? Could I go for a walk?" he asked.

"Just don't go too far," Daniel said.

"Thank you," Hawkeye said as he stood up.

"Daddy?" Mandy and Sandy asked.

"What is it?" Harold asked.

"Can we go with Hawky?" they asked.

"Sure," he said not really paying attention.

"Hawky?" he asked giving them a look of confusion.

They just smiled at him.

"Where are we going?" Mandy asked.

"I'M going down to the corner. I don't know where you're going," he said.

"With you," Sandy said.

Hawkeye just rolled his eyes and went to the door. Without saying a word to them, they grabbed their coats and followed.

Margaret's family had just gotten back from the airport. They had picked up her Aunt Carol and Uncle Hank along with their cousins, Connie and Lindsey. Tara lead Connie and Lindsey to the door as she talked to them about what ever it was that Tara ever talked about with others. Close behind were Margaret and Becky who got stuck with the luggage while the adults stayed behind at the car and talked.

"Do you think that maybe you could help us?" Margaret asked.

"Shut up," Tara said.

"Make me," Margaret said quietly to herself.

Tara stopped dead in her tracks and held her hand up motioning for Connie and Lindsey to do the same. With a look of insult and surprise, she wheeled around to Margaret.

"What was that?" she asked.

"I said make me!" Margaret demanded.

Becky smiled at Margaret.

"I will you little twerp!" Tara yelled.

"Girls!" Elisabeth snapped.

Tara didn't care, and neither did Margaret. Tara walked over and shoved Margaret down to the ground. Margaret fell back with the suitcases falling onto her.

"Tamara Michelle Houlihan!" Elisabeth yelled as she stormed over.

"Pick up those suitcases and carry them up yourself! And while you're upstairs I want you to stay up there until dinner!" she yelled.

"But mom," Tara whined.

"Just do it," she ordered.

Tara rolled her eyes and picked up the couple that had covered Margaret's head.

"There, you happy now?" she asked.

There was no response.

"Margaret?" Tara asked.

Margaret lay there unconscious. Becky dropped her things and ran over to Margaret.

"What did you do?" she yelled.

"I didn't do that," Tara said.

"Of course not. YOU'RE just the one that pushed her down!" Becky yelled.

"Okay, Becky, come on we're taking her to the hospital. Tara, you're going to do Margaret's chores for her for a month," Elisabeth said.

"But I already barely have time for the ones that I have," Tara whined.

"Should have thought about that before you knocked your sister out," Becky said to herself.

"I don't have time to argue with you. Just get in the house," Elisabeth said.

She sighed as picked her daughter up and carried her to the car.

"You girls can never behave yourselves can you," she said.

"Not with Tara around," Becky said.


	13. Chapter 13

13

Margaret sat in the examining room. She had gained consciousness but still felt a bit out of it.

"Now when we get home I just want you to rest for the next couple of days," Elisabeth said.

"But mom, that involves staying home. I don't think I want to do that," Margaret said.

"Don't worry about that," Elisabeth said putting her arm around Margaret.

Margaret just sighed.

"When can we leave?" she asked.

"As soon as the doctor comes back and gives us that ointment that he was talking about," Elisabeth said.

Margaret didn't want to be there at all. She just wanted to go home and sleep. Then again, every one who got her into this was sitting over there.

"Hey Mags, I got something for you," Becky said poking her head around the corner of the room.

"What is it?" Margaret asked not really able to get excited over anything at the moment.

Becky stepped off to the side and allowed for Corrine and Hawkeye to walk in. Margaret smiled. This was the first time that she had ever had any visitors when she was sick.

"Hi," Margaret said.

"Hey. Becky told us what happened," Hawkeye said.

"Are you okay?" Corrine asked.

"I'm fine, thank you," Margaret said.

Elisabeth stepped back and smiled. She really didn't think that Margaret should have visitors right now, but then again, this was the first time that had even made friends and she didn't want to ruin that.

"If it helps, last Thanksgiving my Uncle Ralph sliced his finger," Corrine said.

That didn't really help, but Margaret knew that her heart was in the right place.

"Thanks?" she said.

Corrine got the hint and stepped back.

"Oh, and Maggie, Ben here stopped and got you a little get well present," Corrine said.

Hawkeye dug into his pocket and got out a pair of hair clips with flowers at the end.

"They're nothing much, but I thought you might like them," he said.

As Hawkeye handed them to her, she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

"Hey, I was thinking, if you didn't want to go back home, maybe you could join me and my family this year," Hawkeye said.

Margaret smiled and looked up at Elisabeth.

"Well," she said unsure what to say.

"Come on mom, would you want to go back home?" Becky asked.

"Well, okay I guess. But only if you're sure that you feel up to it," Elisabeth said.

"I do," Margaret said.

Elisabeth just smiled at her.

"Well, I guess I should go call my dad and tell him," Hawkeye said and then left the room.

Corrine watched him walk out the door and then turned to Margaret who was looking over the hair clips.

"You know, he'll never tell you this, but he spent his entire allowance on those," Corrine said.

Becky looked over at Corrine with excitement.

"Really?" she asked.

Corrine nodded at her while all Margaret could do was stare at the doorway. Nothing like that had ever happened to her. A soft smile came across her face as she rubbed her fingers over the shiny dark pink flower at the end of the clip. It was just hard for her to believe that any one would do that for her.


	14. Chapter 14

14

Hawkeye and Margaret stood on the porch of his house.

"I've got to warn you," he said.

"The twins in there, they hate people," he said.

"I'd stay away from them," he said.

Margaret glanced over at the door and then looked back over at him.

"Okay, what are their names?" she asked.

Hawkeye stood there for a moment looking as if he were in deep thought.

"That's a good question," he said.

Margaret rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, I have never forgotten the names of my relatives," she said.

"That's only because you haven't been traumatized by them yet," Hawkeye said.

Margaret raised her eyebrow and pointed to her head.

"What do you think that this is?" she asked.

"Good point," he said.

They both stood there for a moment.

"Well," he said.

"Well," Margaret said.

"No use in us just standing out here," he said.

Hawkeye went up to the door and knocked.

"Hello you two," Daniel greeted as he opened the door.

"Hi dad," Hawkeye said as he walked passed him.

"Hello Mr. Pierce," Margaret said as she curtsied.

"Hello Maggie," he said.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Okay, my head hurts though," she said.

Daniel laughed.

"Well I would imagine so," he said.

"Dinner will be done in a few minutes," Daniel said and then went back into the kitchen.

Margaret took the chance to look around. This house was quite different from hers. Every one here actually seemed happy to be here, unlike the phony act that was used at her house. There was no, 'I'm doing better then you' here like there was with her family. Margaret always thought of her family as more of a talent show. They all gather to see who has the most to show off. His family looked more like a family. They didn't care who had what, just about the fact that they were all together.

Her smile faded as she felt the room start to spin. She closed her eyes as she grabbed her head.

"Maggie!" Hawkeye said noticing that she was about to collapse.

He grabbed her shoulder and led her to the couch and helped her sit down.

"Are you okay?" he asked with every one else starting to show concern.

"I'm fine," Margaret said.

"The doctor told me to expect that," she explained.

"Are you sure? I can give you a ride home if you need it," Mike said.

Margaret shook her head.

"I'd rather stay here where it's friendlier," she said.

"Okay," Mike said.

Margaret smiled as she looked over at Hawkeye.

"Your family's nice," Margaret said.

"Hey, what can you expect?" he asked.

"Dinner's ready," Daniel announced carrying a turkey into the dinning room and setting it down in the middle of the table.

"Come on," Hawkeye said as he stood up.

He turned around and extended his hand to Margaret and helped her up. Hand and hand, they walked together to the dinning room. As they entered in, Jackie nudged Daniel in the side and they both smiled down at the two.

"I saw that," Hawkeye said pulling the chair out for Margaret.

"Saw what?" Jackie asked.

"You and dad," he said and then sat down.

"I know you two are laughing at me," he said.

"I think it's sweet," Jackie said.

Margaret giggled as she saw Hawkeye's face start to turn red.

Through out the entire dinner, Margaret didn't speak a word unless she was spoken to. Most of the time was spent with glances between Hawkeye and Margaret. Neither of them really wanted to do or say anything in front of the others. Especially Margaret, she didn't know these people and she didn't want them to have the wrong impression about her.

It was after dinner and Jackie and Daniel were cleaning up in the kitchen. Jackie stood at the sink as she washed the dishes while Daniel put the extra food away in the fridge.

"You know, I think it's time that had a little talk with Benny," Jackie said.

Daniel laughed.

"Trust me, if he takes after me, it'll all come naturally," he said.

"That's the only thing that ever came naturally to you," Jackie said.

"We all have to be good at something," he said.

"Oh yeah? Then tell me why you only have one kid. The way you talk you'd figure that you would have one for each year," Jackie said.

"Speaking of kids, I think some one ought to go out and check on them," he said getting off subject.

"It's also about time that she be taken home," Jackie said.

"Yes it is," Daniel said and then walked out the door and into the living room.

He smiled at the sight of the two kids asleep on the couch and then went back into the kitchen.

"They fell asleep," he said.

"Did they really?" she asked smiling up at him.

"Yes, I guess that means that we'll have to wait to take her back home," Daniel said.


	15. Chapter 15

15

Margaret and Becky walked to the school on the following Monday after Thanksgiving. She had been doing better, the only thing was that she and Tara were no longer talking. Tara seemed to be nervous around Margaret now, and Margaret, of course, was angry at Tara.

"I didn't want to came back," Becky whined as she rolled her eyes.

"You'll get over it," Margaret said.

Becky turned and looked over at Margaret. She had been acting a little different since Thanksgiving.

"Is there something wrong?" Becky asked.

Margaret looked over at Becky and sighed. Grabbing Becky's shoulder, she lead her outside and over by a tree where no one else was.

"What is it?" Becky asked with worry.

"I realized something," Margaret said.

"Yeah?" Becky asked with true interest.

"I didn't stand up to Tara like I should have," Margaret said.

Becky laughed.

"Are you kidding me? You did stand up to her. Unless maybe that injury there did something to make you forget," Becky said.

"That's not what I meant!" Margaret snapped.

She was tired of it. Every one walking all over, people getting their way with her. For so long she had been the quiet shy girl. The one that never bothered any one and let them get away with just about anything. Tired of just being that girl that was there. Never heard, never known, just there.

Becky, shocked at the way Margaret reacted, decided that she better find out what she had really meant.

"Okay," Becky said.

"What I meant was that I took those bags for them in the first place. Not to be polite or to help out, but because Tara shoved her part on me. If I would have done something this never would have happened," Margaret said.

"But that's not it! Last year would have been better! Every day! Every week! But no, I can't stand up to any one," Margaret said.

Becky looked down and sighed.

"Not to bring down your life vision or anything, but think about this. Corinne is a true friend, would have never met her if you stood up and took the seat that you wanted. If you were the popular girl, you would have never met Ben. If you would have never had to go to the hospital, you would have never realized how much those two care about you, especially Ben who went and spent his allowance on you," Becky said.

"You do have a point, but I also think that things happen for a reason," Becky said.

Margaret looked off to the side and then just stared. She was right. There was no way that she was going to ignore her own feelings, but her sister was right.

"Just think about that," Becky said and then walked away.

Margaret turned and looked to her with confusion as she walked away.

"How do you do that?" she quietly asked.

"Hey."

Margaret turned and saw Corinne standing behind her.

"Hi," Margaret said.

"Are you feeling better?" Corinne asked.

"Yes I am, thank you," Margaret said.

"That's good," Corinne said smirking.

"What?" Margaret asked taking notice of her smile.

"So, how was Thanksgiving?" Corinne asked.

"Honestly? The best that I have ever had," Margaret said.

Margaret found it sad that the only time she could enjoy a holiday was when it away from her family.

"Well hello," Corinne said looking over at Hawkeye.

Margaret just softly smiled as she looked at him through the corner of her eye. Her head was down so that he couldn't see the way that she was staring.

"How was the rest of your vacation?" he asked.

"Good," she said.

"That's good," he said.

"Hey, do you need me to carry any of your books?" he asked.

Margaret looked up and put her hair behind her ear. All she could do was stare. Hawkeye laughed and took her books from her.

"If you don't mind, I'm going to go talk to Tommy and John real quick," he said.

Margaret just smiled in his direction.

They entered the classroom and Hawkeye set her books down at her seat for her.

"Thank you," she said smiling.

"Any time," he said.

Corinne sighed and looked over at John.

"Why can't you ever do anything for me?" she asked.

"What?" he asked coming out of some type of daydream.

"I know what that goofy smile means," Corinne said.

"Do you want to make my daydreams the real thing?" he asked.

"No," she said.

Rhonda, in the background, saw all this and hated Margaret for it.

"Maggie's got a boyfriend! And guess what they together when they're alone," Rhonda said.

Margaret turned around and stared for a second. There were two choices. The first one was to just ignore it. Act like it hadn't even bothered you. Second was to stand up for yourself. Defend your own name.

"Is some one worried over the fact that maybe some one likes me better then you?" Margaret asked.

"I'm just worried about things going from classy to tacky," Rhonda said.

"You can always change your ways. You don't have to be tacky if you don't want to," Margaret said.

"Concubine," Rhonda said.

"Slut," Margaret said.

"That's it!" Rhonda yelled as she stood up.

She walked over and grabbed a container of paint and threw it at her. Margaret screamed as the paint hit her and completely covered her.

Margaret could hear the laughing start. All she could think about was how ridiculous she looked up there. She wanted to cry, but she couldn't, tears were a sign of weakness. She simply huffed and took her seat. There was nothing to do now. She had tried to stand up for herself, but look where it had gotten her.

"You're not embarrassed or anything?" he asked.

She was. But there was no way they were going to ever see it. That was when the thought came to her. If she didn't show anything, no one could get to her.

"No," she blankly replied.

He stared at her and then stared back at Rhonda.

"Hey Rhonda!" he yelled as he stood up.

Rhonda looked over. She couldn't believe it. Everyday she had longed to hear his voice call for her.

"Yes?" she asked.

I just wanted to show you something," he said.

"What's that?" she asked.

He grabbed Margaret's arm and helped her stand up.

"This," he said.

Hawkeye dipped her and kissed her on the lips. Rhonda's eyes widened with fury.

"Mr. Pierce! And Miss Houlihan! Out into the hallway this instant!"

Hawkeye lifted his head and nervously laughed. Standing in front of him was the teacher.

"Some one's in for it," Tommy said.

"Shut up," Hawkeye said.


	16. Chapter 16

16

Hawkeye looked over and saw fear in her eyes. He now wondered how she was going to take this. Ever since he was four he had been getting into huge trouble, so this was nothing new to him. But her, every one knew that she herself was a goody two shoes, daddy's little girl, the girl who never did anything wrong.

"Oh no," Margaret moaned under her breath. They were lead out into the hallway. Ms. Kempton closed the door behind her and looked sternly down at the two. Hawkeye just looked up at her. What was he going to do? Tell her that he didn't do it? Besides, what was the worst she could do? Send a note home? This was nothing to him. On the other hand, Margaret stood staring nervously at her. Back straight and eyes straight forward. He could see how scared she was from the corner of his eye.

"What is going on in there!? You have paint all over your shirt and I find you two kissing! What kind of animal house do you think this is!?" Ms. Kempton yelled.

"May I say something?" Hawkeye asked. She stepped back and motioned for him to go ahead.

"Maggie here wasn't expecting me to kiss her. I took her by complete surprise. There was no way that she would have ever known. Second, that paint is because that Rhonda girl in there got mad at her," Hawkeye said. Ms. Kempton sighed and then looked down at Margaret.

"Is this true?" she asked.

"Yes ma'am," Margaret said. It was evident in her voice that she was still nervous. The teacher eyed her for a moment. It was as if she were intimidating her, and it was working.

"Okay, you two wait right here," she said and then went down to the office. Hawkeye turned to look to make sure that she was gone.

"Calm down will you?" he asked.

"Everything's fine," he said. Margaret looked up at him.

"I guess it is," she said. She started relaxing and then just decided that maybe she was okay. Giving him a small smile, she looked up at him.

"Thank you," she said.

"For what?" he asked. Margaret rolled her eyes.

"Getting me out of trouble," she said.

"Don't mention it," Hawkeye said. Ms. Kempton came down the hallway and stood before the two.

"Okay, Margaret, go back to class," she said as she pointed at the door.

"And you, Benjamin, you come with me down to the principle's office," she said.

Margaret stood out on the front porch as Becky sat there and was drawing her.

"Boy, you're a good model you know? You don't move at all," Becky said. Margaret turned as she was brought out her trance like state.

"What?" she asked. Becky just sighed as she put her pencil down.

"Nothing," she said. Margaret went back to just staring out.

"Is there something wrong?" Becky asked. Margaret turned to her.

"Just something that happened today," she said.

"Now come on, you know that that wasn't a good shirt anyways. Who cares if there's paint on it?" Becky asked.

"That's not it. It's how it happened. Rhonda was jealous of what I had with Ben and wanted to get back at me. To get back at her he kissed me. I have never had people jealous of me before over anything. Nothing at ell and now all the sudden I got the most popular girl in school jealous of me because the boy of every young girl's heart is attracted to me. Earlier I would have said that I would enjoy this! But I don't! The only thing that I enjoy is having people who that they should stand up for me," Margaret said. Becky just stared at her for a moment.

"Are you kidding me? You sound like you have it great! You got something that the popular didn't get to have! You were chosen over her! You know where that puts you? The top of the food chain!" Becky said.

"So? That also means that I am at the top of her hate list. I don't want to be miserable all year! Not for this!" Margaret said.

"What about Ben?" Becky asked.

"I'll stay with Ben," Margaret said. Becky put her paper down on the ground and then walked over to Margaret.

"So, you want to stay with the boy that is causing you all your problems," she said.

"I guess so," Margaret said. Becky stood behind her and started to smirk.

"What?" Margaret asked.

"You know what you have to do now don't you?" Becky asked.

"What?" Margaret asked.

"You have to get back at her," Becky said. Margaret rolled her eyes and turned back towards the street and away from Becky.

"I'm not that type of person," Margaret said.

"But I am, and so is Ben, and a few others that we know," Becky said.

"And while we are at it, there's also a certain sister that sent you to the hospital that may need to be taught her lesson," Becky said. That was what sparked Margaret's interest.

"Okay, I'm in," Margaret said.

"Great, " Becky said smiling.


	17. Chapter 17

17

Margaret, Hawkeye, Becky, Corinne, John, Tommy, and Heather all sat by the beach as they waited. Tonight, Rhonda was supposed to show up. Everything was in place and ready for her arrival. Now all they had to do was wait.

"I don't think this is going to work," Margaret said as she walked back and forth.

Everyone looked over at her. She had been doubting this all day and was now starting to annoy them. Becky sighed and then motioned for Corinne to follow her as they walked over to Margaret.

"Magsy dear," Becky said getting her attention.

"You've got to have a little faith in this or else it won't work," Becky said.

"She's right, you can't just go on all night telling yourself this won't work. I mean. look who we got to help us," Corrine said.

Corinne turned around and pointed at the others and then turned back to Margaret.

"Okay, so they're not the brightest bunch, but we did do a good job," Corinne said.

"Well, I guess you're right," Margaret said.

"Of course she's right, now get over the whole doubt thing and get your butt over there," Becky said.

Margaret rolled her eyes and followed Becky back over to the rest of the group. Before anything else could be done, Heather came running to them.

"She's here," she said catching her breath.

Everyone went and hid, except for Hawkeye, who stood waiting for her by the edge of the ocean. Then, before he knew it, Rhonda came walking across the beach. Her dress was way too mature for her, but he didn't care. Her hair hung in loose curls that lightly covered her shoulders. To him, she actually did look beautiful. All he could do was stare in awe. The only thing that kept him from running over and trying to get anything he could from her was the fact that he had six people gathered there and all trying to do one thing. Teach her a lesson.

"Hello Benjamin," she said walking up to him.

"Hey," he said looking her over.

Becky sat behind the rock and rolled her eyes.

"Thank you," she said.

"What's that?" he asked trying his hardest to keep his eyes from drifting down to her chest.

"Finally realizing that I was the one you deserve," she said.

"I don't know about that," he said. She smiled at him.

"You know, last year, I earned myself a little nickname. I am a little ashamed of it, but I was in Florida and nobody here knows it," she said.

"But I'll tell you," she said smiling.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"I made out with every boy around my age who walked onto the beach. They now call me hotlips," she said.

"And I just wanted to see if I could live up to that with you," she said and then leaned in.

Hawkeye backed up. As much as he wanted to find out, he couldn't. Not with the future slut in front of him.

"What?" she asked getting offended.

"I, I," he stuttered and then saw John walking up from behind her.

John grabbed a bucket and dumped sea weed on her. Screaming, she turned around.

"What is your problem?" she yelled.

He just shrugged and then took her in his arms and dipped her as he kissed her. Her eyes widened as she tried to fight her way out of his arms. Once he had finally had enough, he pulled his arms away causing her to fall onto the ground.

"What was that?" she yelped.

"Something that you completely deserved," Margaret said walking towards them.

Rhonda stood up and glared at Margaret.

"What are you talking about? I have no idea what you people are trying to do," she yelled.

"You've treated me horribly all year. I just thought that maybe it was time that something happened to you," Margaret said.

"Oh! You think that was bad. Just you and you little friends wait until Monday!" she replied.

Margaret smirked as Rhonda started to walk away.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, hotlips," she said folding her arms.

Rhonda, completely shocked, stopped in her tracks and turned around.

"You wouldn't," she said.

"Want to try me?" Margaret asked.

Rhonda just gave her one last glare in defeat and then turned to leave. Margaret stood there and just stared. Some how, that didn't feel right. It got her what she wanted, but it didn't feel right. It was never like her to do something like that. Hawkeye smiled at Margaret.

"You did a lot better then I thought you would," he said.

"Thanks," she said.

The others came over and joined her. Becky walked over and put her arm around her.

"I have trained you well," she said.

Margaret just raised her eyebrow. That night, Hawkeye sat up in his bedroom. It was way passed his bedtime, but he couldn't sleep. Something that he didn't want to happen was happening to him. He was getting close to people. At first he had promised himself that he wouldn't get close because he knew that after the school year was over he would go back up to Maine. Leaving Tommy, John, the football team, Corinne, Heather, Becky, and Maggie. Especially Maggie. He had seen her from a point of view that no one else had seen her. He had never felt this way about a girl. He would hear comments made about her in class and he would want to stand up for her. Having days where he would rather be alone with her then playing with his friends in the park. It was also the way that she had come to him. The way that she would talk to him instead of the others.

"I don't want to leave," he told himself.

Then he remembered something important. The fact that her father was in the military. That meant that she would have been leaving soon anyways.

"I just wish mom was here to see this," he said and then turned over to go to sleep.

Margaret sat in her room staring up at the ceiling. She realized something today. Something that was very important. That there were ways that she could get what she wanted out of others, you just had to take control of the situation. The only thing that bothered her was the way she had to act to do it. It felt like she was a completely different person. Part of her felt guilty while the rest of her felt very satisfied with the way things had turned out.

"Why aren't you asleep?" Becky asked.

Margaret turned and looked at her.

"I could ask you the same question," Margaret said. Margaret sighed, she could tell with out looking, that Becky was still watching her.

"That wasn't me out there on the beach today," Margaret said.

"Looked like you," Becky said.

"Maybe, but it didn't feel right," Margaret said.

Becky propped herself up on her shoulder and smiled.

"I know, I've never seen you do anything like that either," Becky said.

"But you have to admit, you probably gave her some sort of life lesson. I mean, next year she meets some new kid, she might treat them better," Becky said.

"No, I think I just got her mad and embarrassed," Margaret said.

"I don't know. I like to think that everything happens to us for a reason," Becky said.

"Then why do I feel rotten about it?" Margaret asked.

"Why do you think? I mean, all your life you've been this push over goody two shoes. How did you think you would feel about it?" Becky asked.

Margaret went back to staring. She was right, she had tried to change herself completely in only one day. How could she expect much?

"Oh well," she told herself.


	18. Chapter 18

18

Hawkeye walked in the door. It was the day after they had met with Rhonda and also the first day of their Christmas Vacation. It was very weird to him though since there was no snow on the ground. He was used to getting extra days off from snow. He was used to the white Christmas. Now, Christmas was a little over a week away and he was wearing a T-shirt.

"Hello Hawkeye," Jackie said.

"Hi," he said plopping down into the couch.

"How was it at the park?" she asked putting the duster down and turning her attention to him.

He just looked up at her and shrugged.

"Same old park," he said.

"Don't tell me that you're already getting bored of this town," she said.

"It's not that," he said looking out the window.

"A lot of my friends are leaving tomorrow and that means that I won't have anything to do the entire time," he said.

"A lot isn't all of them," she said.

"Well, Tommy is going to New York, John is going to Tennessee, Billy and Gerald are going to Denver," he said.

Jackie sighed and picked the duster back up to return to cleaning.

"What would you do in Maine when your friends all left?" she asked.

"Well, I knew every one there. It wasn't like they all got up and left," he said.

Jackie smiled as she went back to cleaning. There was one thing she had noticed, he hadn't mentioned Maggie. She thought the two had been cute together. He would bring her home a few times and they would just stay out on the porch or in the back yard. Then when they would come in she was be as quiet as she could and he would speak for her.

"Where's dad at?" Hawkeye asked.

Jackie's smile gradually changed to a look of concern. Preparing herself, she turned to face the young boy who was awaiting her answer.

"He's down at the diner," she said.

The hesitance was very apparent in her voice. He still hadn't caught on with why she was feeling that way though.

"Why didn't he take us? I'm hungry," Hawkeye said.

"Well, you're always hungry," she said rolling her eyes.

"That's no excuse to not feed me," he said.

"Is he bringing anything back for us?" he asked.

Jackie shook her head and walked over and sat down next to him.

"He's there with Mary Patterson. MISS Mary Patterson," she said.

Hawkeye suddenly realized where she was getting at. Everything had hit him. His father was out with a woman. A woman other than his mother.

"Oh," he said looking down, not knowing how to take what he had just heard.

"Are you alright with that?" she asked.

"No," he said with a bluntness that almost seemed harsh.

"That's what I was afraid of," she said.

"Well apparently so was my father," he said and then went upstairs.

Jackie sat there and stared in his direction.

"Had to happen sooner or later," she said.

Margaret and Becky were walking down the street towards their home.

"Tell me again why we had to go back home so early," Becky said.

"I don't know," Margaret said.

"All I know is that Tara called me and told me that it was urgent that I get home and not to be shocked when I walk through the door," Margaret said.

Becky rolled her eyes.

"You seriously believe what TARA says? I mean, it's Tara! She lives in her own reality. All she probably needs is someone to kill a spider while mom went to the store," Becky said.

Margaret thought about that and then nodded in agreement.

"As much as I want to argue with you on that, I can't," Margaret said.

"Well," Becky said.

They took the last few steps and then got to the house.

"Maybe she's standing on the other side of the door with a bucket of water," Becky said.

Margaret turned to her shrugged.

"We'll see," she said and then opened the door.

The house was quiet, and almost seemed empty. They both cautiously walked in. There was no one in the living room. That was different once they got the kitchen.

"Mom!" Becky yelled as she ran over to her mother's side.

Their mom was passed out on the floor. Margaret looked at her mom and then looked in shock to Tara. She stormed over to her.

"Why didn't you call the doctor? They could have done better then us!" she yelled.

"Because I know why she passed out. You should have seen her when I walked in. She was drunk," Tara said.

Margaret looked back. She could see that Becky was upset, but didn't want to say anything. It was hard to believe that her mother had drank enough to pass out. Knowing how she was and how she wanted people to see her.

"Was there a reason why?" Margaret asked.

"I don't know," Tara said getting nervous.

"But when I walked in I found her sitting at the table staring at a picture of daddy. She kept asking me how it could ever happen like this," she said.

"How what could ever happen?" Margaret asked getting extremely nervous.

Tara just shook her head. Becky slowly stood up and looked over with concern.

"You don't think," she started.

Margaret quickly turned around and looked at her.

"Think what? Think he died? How could he? There's not even a war going on right now!" Margaret yelled.

"But still, he could have gotten into an accident, he could have been showing them how to use a gun and it backfired," Becky said.

Margaret slowly shook her head in disbelief.

"No! Don't even think like that!" Margaret yelled.

Tears started to fill her eyes. Before either of them could see, she turned and left the room. She ran up to her bedroom and collapsed on her bed.

"He can't be dead. He can't be," she said to herself.


	19. Chapter 19

19

Hawkeye sat up in his room as he waited for his father to get home. He had the chance to go out and play, but he didn't want to miss his dad coming home and getting an explanation. He felt he was too old to be lied to about that stuff. Why wouldn't he tell him? Was he afraid of something. "Jeeze, what's taking him so long? They decide to keep the car parked in the parking lot out back?" he asked. Once he realized what had just came out of his mouth a shiver of disgust went down his back. "Don't even go there," he scolded himself.

There was suddenly a car that pulled up in the driveway. "Well, there he is," he said to himself as he stared out the window. He gasped as his eyes widened. "Oh no. No! You can't!" he said upon discovering that Daniel had brought the girl home. He went back and fell on to his bed as he covered his eyes. He just couldn't believe it. There was no way that this could be happening! He thought he was mad when he found out that his dad had been on a date. Now he was bringing her home?

"Ben!" Daniel called. Hawkeye's entire body tensed up. He knew what was coming next, and didn't like it at all. "Can you come down here please? I have some one for you to meet," Daniel said. He could here the happiness in his dad's voice. That was the only that kept him from getting completely mad at him. The only thing that would get him down those stairs.

Slowly, he peeled himself off the bed and walked down the stairs. Every step he took he tried to go slower, but time was in now way on his side. It didn't even take a full minute to get down to the living room.

"Ms. Kempton?" he asked coming to a complete halt. Now he was mad enough to strangle his father.

"Benjamin?" she asked and then looked over at Daniel. It was easy to see that she was just as surprised as he was. "Just a question, he's related to you isn't he?" she asked crossing her arms.

Daniel sighed and looked blankly down towards the ground. "He's my son," he announced to her. Ms. Kempton just gave him a look of disappointment.

"How could you leave out that you had a son?" she asked. "You tell me about where you were born, your first job, your first wife, but some how you forget to mention that you have a son?" she asked. It was very obvious that he had hinted that he had no kids at all. It was also very obvious that she felt lied to.

"I brought you home to him didn't I? Besides, you never told me that you were a teacher," he said. She thought about that . He was right. All she had talked about was her life with her parents. Other then that she was very quiet.

"May I go back up to my room please?" Hawkeye asked. They both looked over at him.

"Sure," Daniel said in defeat.

Hawkeye went back up to his room and slammed the door. "I can not believe him," he said.

Margaret sat out on the porch as she stared down towards the ground. It all felt like it couldn't be true. Christmas was in a few days and she had no idea what was wrong with her father, or even if she still had a father. Although, knowing her mother, she could have just gotten drunk over an argument about whether or not she should get a job to pay for the phone bill.

"I wish she would just get up already," Margaret said sighing. Elisabeth Katherine Houlihan, their mother, had often worried them before. She quite honestly wasn't sure why she was so worried this time. It was like any other time. The only thing different was that she had passed out this time. Sure, they all knew that she was an alcoholic, but this was brought on by their father. It was just that nobody knew how.

"Margaret, you'd better get inside," Tara said stepping outside the door. Margaret looked back at her. It had been last night that they sat up waiting and now almost half the day had passed. She knew that her mom was in bad condition, but that still didn't give Tara the right to tell her what to do.

"Why?" she asked stiffly looking up at her. Tara sighed and crossed her arms.

"Come on, I don't want to argue with you right now," she said. There was something that she had never seen before with Tara. There was a genuine concern in her eyes. She looked nervous and worn out. As much as she wanted to disobey her and make it hard for her, she couldn't. Besides, she was now starting to worry her. Margaret nodded and then went into the living room and sat down. Elisabeth sat in the corner chair as she blankly stared.

"Thank you Tara," she weakly said. She looked around at all three girls. Right now, they shared one main thing. Fear. None of them knew what, but they knew something was wrong. Seriously wrong. Elisabeth took a deep breath and then started to talk. "I know that I scared you three yesterday and I'm sorry about that. You shouldn't see me like that. But to clear what had happened was that your father and I had gotten into a fight. I was yelling at him for never being home and how he misses everything. Then he got mad at me for yelling at him when I had agreed to accept the fact that he has to move around a lot. Well, after that, we had a long talk," she said. Margaret felt better now. She knew that her father was still alive, and it was just as she had thought. They got into a fight. Another fight. Elisabeth wiped a tear from her eye and then slowly looked at each girl. "We did eventually agree on one thing," she said. 'Finally!' Margaret thought. They had had enough arguing. "We agreed that it would be best that we go our separate ways," she announced.

They all seemed to be in shock. "What do you mean?" Becky nervously asking, but knowing the answer that she was going to get.

"I mean we're going to get a divorce," she stiffly answered. Margaret just shook her head and then turned and left. Tara and Becky both looked back in her direction as she slammed the door. Margaret got to the end of the driveway and then stopped. Now what? Where is some one to go when they can't go home? She had an idea of where to go.


	20. Chapter 20

20

It had started to rain as Margaret walked down the streets. The last thing she had ever wanted was fro her parents to separate. That would mean that they would always be bitter towards each other. That they would never truly be a family any more.

She folded her arms and rubbed her arms to try and warm herself. Her wet hair was beginning to stick to her face. She finally came to a wooded area and sat down at the bottom of one of the trees. It reminded her of when her Dad used to take them walking through the woods. He loved to take them camping and fishing. Since she was getting older and the places that they had been living weren't much for camping, there was much less of that.

The tears rolled down her cheeks as she stared straight ahead. She drew her knees up to her chest and then rested her arms on them. "I start out going from town to town with out friends and now I don't even have both of my parents any more," she said and then dropped her head down onto her arms to shield her face.

Hawkeye laid on his bed just blankly staring up at the ceiling. All there was to do now was just lay there. Lay there and think about what his father had just done. First he replaces his Mom. Then, he just completely forgets to mention that he had a son. It was like he was ashamed of him. There was everything against him. Now he couldn't go to school. He knew that none of the other kids would know what happened, but he would still know. It was going to be extremely awkward going to class and being with her. It was going to be especially awkward when the other boys would make comments about her looks. Sure, he would smile and go along with it, but in the back of his head he would keep thinking that that was the same thing going through his Father's head.

"Some one please tell me what is wrong with this picture," he said rolling over to his side. He sighed and looked over. There was nothing to do now.

"Benny?"

Hawkeye sat up as he heard a knock at the door. It was his Dad. Quite frankly, the last person that he wanted to talk to right now, or for that matter, ever.

"Can I come in?' he asked.

Hawkeye figured that the sooner he got this over with, the better. He slid off the bed and dreadfully walked across the room. Hesitantly, he reached for the door knob and turned it, allowing it to open and show the man standing on the other side. His eyes seemed to be filled with a genuine sorrow. He also seemed to be embarrassed about what had just happened, but of course, it didn't take a genius to know that he had just messed up.

"Yes?" Hawkeye asked standing in the doorway. The last thing that he wanted was for him to come in and sit down. All that meant was that they would be sitting there for a while. There was no way that he could sit there and listen to excuses to make up for had just happened. What happened, happened, a fancy excuse wouldn't either change that or make it right.

Daniel looked down at him with annoyance. He knew that he was going to act like a little child about this, yet he felt he himself was childish.

"I was wondering if I could actually come in and talk to you," he said with a slight dullness to his voice. Hawkeye sighed and stepped off to the side to let him in. Planning it out in his head, he figured that all he had to do was pretend to listen. Just nod your head every once in a while and agree. The quicker he started doing that, the sooner he would be left alone.

Daniel walked in and sat down. As he made his way to the bed he seemed to have been looking around, which, for some reason, seemed to irritate Hawkeye. The young boy looked down and sighed and then went over to the bed and joined his father. Why was he so mad? He knew that his Dad would want to come up and talk to him about it.

"Ben, I'm sorry. You know that the last thing I wanted was to make you miserable," he explained. There was a truthfulness in his eyes that almost made him give in and forgive, but no. Not this time.

"Oh yeah? You go out with a woman, leave it to my Aunt to tell me, and then never tell her that I'm even around and you expect me not to get mad?" he asked starting to raise his voice.

"You have every right to be mad. But that doesn't mean that I have to get your approval on my life," he said. That struck Hawkeye's nerve. He was right. He could never tell him, but he didn't have to agree either.

"Okay," he quickly answered as if he had been holding his answer in for quiet some time and just waiting for that moment to spit it out. Daniel just looked down. He could see it in his son's eye that he was angered, and that it would take more than a few minutes of talking to clear things up.

"Okay then." Daniel looked down in defeat and sighed. "How about you grab your umbrella and head down and get a few things for dinner?" he offered.

Right now, no matter what the weather was like, Hawkeye wanted to get away from his father. He agreed to go and then grabbed his things and left. The first thing that he noticed when he stepped outside was how warm the rain actually was. He was used to the snow up in Maine.

"At least up there he knew who not to date," Hawkeye said to himself and then continued down the driveway. He silently made his way to the corner of the street. The entire time was spent in deep thought about what had just happened. No matter what any one said, he was still bothered by it, and there was no way that he was about to get it out of his head anytime soon. He turned and walked around the bend. It was the street that bordered the small little forested area. He walked down until he got to a three way cross and crossed over to the other side and followed the edge of the forest. Right before the houses cut into the line, he saw Margaret sitting beneath the tree. Curious, he walked over and stood before her. She lifted her head and looked up at him.

"Ben," she said and then gave him a smile of longing. Trying to wipe her eyes with her wet sleeves, she got to her feet and stood before him.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked. He just looked her over. Of course, being a young boy, he loved how she looked with the wet clothes, she herself was wishing that he wasn't wearing a coat to cover himself up.

"I should ask you the same question," he said.

"It doesn't really matter now," she said looking straight into his eyes. She them grabbed his shoulders and backed him up against the tree behind him.

"All I know is that you're one of the only people left in my life that I even give a damn about," she said with her eyes starting to water.

He looked to her with a similar desire, but he was also shocked. He had never heard a young girl curse before. Then again, there's a first for everything.

"And all I want is you," she said starting to cry as she ran her fingers through his hair. Hawkeye was loving this, but there was something that wouldn't let him let her go any further.

"Why?" he nervously questioned.

Margaret put her arms around his neck and looked straight into his ice blue eyes and held back her tears.

"The way I see it, I've just lost everything else. I can't stand to lose any more. Year after year of saying goodbye to those few who mean something to me. Having to say goodbye to my daddy anytime he has to leave, then coming home where my little sister has to defend me against my big sister," she stopped to see if he was following where this was going.

"I'm sure you have something," he said.

"My parents have just decided to get divorced! How many people do that? Now I'll have an even harder time fitting in at schools. The worst part is, now I'll never see my daddy. He'll always be gone and moving around. That leaves me at home with my drunken upset mom and Tara taking care of us! How can you say that's something when there's nothing there?" she asked letting the tears fall from her eyes.

"I'm just sick of it. Okay? I'm sick of always losing and never gaining," she said through her tears. Right now she was a wreck. She felt depressed, lonely, and unwanted. All she wanted was to belong with some one. To not be alone for a night. To feel loved and wanted. The only problem was, she didn't want it to mean anything. She was seriously considering giving up her virginity to this boy, for a few moments of affection. Even if she would never see him again, she would know that for once, just once, she was loved. Or at least, that's how she felt about it.

"You realize that I'll only be here a little while longer don't you?" he asked.

"We're not living in the future, we're living in the present and that's all that matters," she said. He could see how desperate she really was, but, didn't know what to do. His body was telling him to go for it, but deep down, he did care for her a little.

"Maggie," he said holding onto her shoulders and slightly pushing her back. "You'll hate yourself tomorrow."

Margaret went in and kissed him. They kissed each other. Hawkeye moved his hands from her shoulders and down around her waist. Margaret finally pulled away.

"Come on, I'll walk you home," he said.

"Okay," she said walking over to him. Hawkeye put his arm around her shoulders and guided her back out of the woods and onto the side walk.


	21. Chapter 21

Hawkeye and Margaret stood on her porch as they shielded themselves from the rain. She leaned on the railing as she blankly stared out at towards the house next door. Hawkeye sat on the bench behind her and watched her for a moment. They had both been silent, but that was only because he had no idea of what to say to her. The more he got to know this girl, the more complicated her life seemed to him. He was used to staying in the one small town where every one knew each other and virtually nothing bad ever happened. All he did was wake up, go to school, and do the same thing every day. Margaret on the other hand had to always worry about moving, her father being gone, making friends, getting used to another school, and now, obviously her parents had been fighting.

"You alright?" he asked.

Margaret shrugged as she continued to just stare out. "I don't really know," she stated with out showing any emotion. "I'm sure either way this Christmas will turn out just like any other holiday usually does."

"They can't always be that bad," Hawkeye said trying to make her feel better.

"I don't know. It seems like it to me. Then again, what do I know?" she asked. There seemed to be a tone of despair in her voice. The only thing that bothered Hawkeye was that he couldn't see her face. The only thing he had to go off of was her voice, and right now, she was sending him mixed messages. Then again, if some one has their back to you, it doesn't usually mean that they're happy. Margaret sighed as she dropped her head. "I don't know anything," she said as she finally turned around to face him.

"What do you mean? Of you know something, I mean, you're grades aren't that bad. I should know, it's no coincidence that we usually have the same grades," he said.

Margaret just rolled her eyes at him. "That's not what I mean. I mean, I don't know what it's like to have friends that actually know who you are, I don't know what it's like to have your own father around all the time. I don't even know what it's like to have a normal family get together," she explained. "Just from seeing my own family, what do you think it's like around here when the relatives come into town?" she asked.

"If you can sit here and tell me that the way you spend holidays isn't normal, then you must know something about them. There has to be something that you're comparing it to," he said staring up at her. Margaret looked at him for a minute as she thought about what he had just told her. She lifted her head and started to stare off into space. "But of course you're right," he said getting her attention. "You don't know anything about how you're supposed to celebrate a holiday."

"I thought you just told me I did," she said.

Hawkeye sighed as he stood up. "Maggie, no one knows. You know why? Because there is no right way, there is no normal families. What do you think? We all get together and discuss how we're going to spend the holidays and then all agree to do the same thing?" he asked. Hawkeye then laughed. "Come on, what you saw at my house on Thanksgiving was them behaving for company. We fight to. I'm stuck there with the two terrors, evil and eviler, who's names I've really got to learn sometime," he said.

Margaret gave him a small smile as she nodded. "I wish my family could put on an act like that when other people come over," she said.

"Why? It's fake," he said.

"Yeah, but it does cause fewer injuries. We're all known for our tempers," Margaret said.

They stood there silently for a moment. Hawkeye could tell that Margaret had begun to lighten up and loved it.

"Well, I better get inside before my mom gets too mad at me," she said.

"Okay, bye," he said as he watched her go into the house. There was something about her that he liked, and today there was something different that he liked even better.

"You're FINALLY home! Where were you? You had mother pacing through out this entire house!" Tara said.

Margaret had thought about everything that both Hawkeye and Becky had told her and then stood up straight as she glared at her older sister. "I don't have to answer to you," she said.

"Well you can at least apologize. Everything around here went crazy all because you decided to take a walk!" Tara yelled.

"Oh, poor Tara, did I ruin YOU'RE day?" she asked and then shook her head. "That doesn't mean that I have to apologize to you. If anything I'll apologize to mother. She's the one that was worried. Besides, I don't feel one ounce of pity for you. All you ever do is boss me around and look for attention," she said.

Tara's eyes opened wide with anger and shock. "You little brat! You ran out in a storm leaving every one to worry and then you come back and yell at me? And don't tell me that you don't go looking for attention," Tara said.

"What do you mean! I barely ever even leave the house let alone flaunt myself around the boys every day!" Margaret argued.

"What about you? Daddy's little girl! How is that not looking for attention? 'Oh yes daddy, anything for you.' He would do anything for you! He never dropped what he was doing for either me nor Becky! Yet you get into the Christmas play and he makes sure that he is there front and center to see you," she said.

"Maybe that's all I had," Margaret said.

"Don't give me that, you know that you an go out and make friends as well as any one else. You just choose not to," Tara said.

Margaret stood back and thought about that. She was right.

"Okay, you're right. But before I go upstairs, think about this. The only reason that I get the attention from him that I do is because I was willing to try to please him. My attention is not out of love, it's just out of pride. Quite honestly, I could never see you going for that," Margaret said and then went up stairs.

Tara stood there and watched Margaret as she walked up the stairs. A blank expression on her face, she shrugged and then walked back into the kitchen.

Margaret got to the top of the stairs and turned into her parent's room. She saw her mom sitting on the bed and staring at a picture of her and daddy together. She jumped when she noticed Margaret in the room and looked up and forced a small smile. "Hey there Margaret," she said trying to sound happy.

"Hey, I'm sorry that I left earlier, it's just," Margaret started to explain, but was cut off by her mother shaking her head.

"I understand," she said. "Odds are, I would have done the same thing too," she said.

Margaret just looked around the room with a concerned look to her face. Sighing, she went over and sat down at the end of the bed. Fiddling around with the loose blanket in her hands, she looked up at her mom who had went back to the picture. "Why are you two getting a divorce?" she asked more forcefully then she would have liked.

"I don't really know how it all started. For the past few years we have been fighting more then usual and I guess that it had just kept getting worse," Elisabeth explained finally looking up from the picture that she held tightly in her hands.

"But the phone call, it was all so sudden," Margaret said.

"No it wasn't. It was like normal times, when I would yell at him for being away and then he would yell at me because I knew what I was getting myself into when I said yes. But this time just went a little too far," she said.

"A little too far?" Margaret asked with disbelief. "Mom! You two are splitting up! How could you say that it was just a little too far? Isn't there anything that you can do to fix things?" she asked starting to form tears in her eyes.

"I wish it were all that easy, but you've to remember that we have tried things already. Remember that one year that your father and went away? We left so that we could discuss what was happening to us. Honey, there's nothing to do anymore. His life is the army and my life is here with you three," she bluntly stated while she dabbed her eyes making sure not to ruin the make up.

"That's it? No more? It's all done?" Margaret angrily asked while she stood up.

"Damn it Margaret!" she snapped which caused Margaret to calm down and soften her expression. "I know you think that this is all simple. Well, that's pretty far off from the truth, and quite frankly, this is just a little too complicated for you right now."

Margaret nodded and then left the room. She had no idea what was going on and wanted desperately to know.

Elisabeth sat on her bed as she looked back down at the picture. "I wish that you would just forgive me," she said starting to cry. "I sure screwed this one up."


	22. Chapter 22

22

Margaret and her sisters sat in the living room as they stared at the Christmas tree. For as many Christmases that she had spent without her father, she should be used to it, but she wasn't. The divorce kept tugging at her. No more Christmases with her parents together. She might even be able to ever spend another Christmas with him.

"Tomorrow's Christmas," Becky said trying to sound cheerful.

Tara looked down at her and nodded. "Yes, another Christmas," she said. "Just like last Christmas and the one before that."

"When was the last time that Daddy was home for Christmas?" Margaret asked.

"About three years ago. Remember? You got the comb set, which you happen to be wearing one now, Tara got the sweater, and I got the earrings," Becky said.

The room fell silent for a moment. Margaret could see it in Tara's eyes that something was different about her. Like she had suddenly realized something. Becky too had the same look. There was probably something different about her too, she just couldn't see it in herself like she could see it in the others. Of course, they had all just found out that their lives were going to be completely different.

"Maybe it won't be so different," Tara said as if she had been thinking about the same thing as Margaret had. Becky and Margaret turned back and looked at her with a spark of interest in their eyes. "We'll be living in one place and we'll barely see our Dad. I don't see what's so different."

"You know that we'll see him less than we do now," Becky said.

Margaret sighed. "Can we stop talking about this? I mean it's not going to change anything," she said.

"Okay, you're right," Tara said.

Becky just looked over at the two and raised her eyebrows.

Hawkeye woke on Christmas morning and looked out the window. Grass. No snow what so ever. In Maine he was used to having so much snow that sometimes they couldn't get out of the house. Not here. Here, he was able to wear a T-shirt if he wanted to. It didn't feel like Christmas at all. None the less, he pulled himself out of bed and got ready for the company. Making his way downstairs, he could smell the pot roast that his Aunt was cooking. "Who all is coming over today?" Hawkeye asked taking a seat at the kitchen table.

"The same group of people that showed up at Thanksgiving. I think it's almost always our relatives that come over," she said peeling the potatoes.

"Great," Hawkeye said. "Another full day spent with the terror twins."

"This time could you at least call them by their names?" Jacky asked.

"What? Sodom and Gomorrah?" he asked.

"Is that really necessary?" she asked with out turning to look at him.

"If it wasn't would I take the time to do it?" he asked. Jacky rolled her eyes and continued with her cooking. "I swear," she said under her breath.

"I guess that means that I should go get ready," he said.

"Yes it does," she said.

With a sigh, he got up and left the room. As he made his way up the stairs he kept wondering how long this was going to take. It wasn't that he hated his family, as a matter of fact, he liked seeing them, it was just those twins that bothered him. Everything he did, everywhere he went, for five straight hours, there they were. Right there. It was starting to scare him.

Margaret sat on her bed as she looked through some of Becky's drawings. She had done a lot of them so that she could remember a lot of the places that she had been to. Most of them were houses and buildings, that was, until she got older. Then it became portraits. She had started to draw people last year and had now developed a nice little collection. Margaret paused as she got to one of her daddy sitting at his desk. Becky had obviously put a lot of time into it. Everything in the picture was very detailed and there was a huge likeness.

"I take it that's your favorite one," Becky said.

Margaret looked up at her and laid the pictures down next to her. "I'm sorry, I was just interested," she said.

Becky laughed. "You don't have to be sorry for looking. As a matter of fact, I like that people want to look."

"I should have guessed," Margaret said and then stood up and walked over to the window. The last place that she had been at had a white Christmas. She had seen both a white Christmas and a green Christmas.

Becky went through her drawings as she carried them over to her bed. If there was one thing that she liked, it was to show off her own work.

"Becky!" Margaret gasped.

Becky quickly turned to her and went over to the window. "What is it?" she asked.

"Look! Look! In the driveway!" she exclaimed. Becky gasped. It was their father. He had pulled up to the driveway.


	23. Chapter 23

23

All three girls rushed down to see their father. Margaret especially. She knew that this would be one of her last times with him, and she wanted to take advantage of it. Spend every minute with him that she could.

The girls came to a halt at the bottom of the stairs. To Margaret's surprise, as well as the other two, he stood there with disappointment. He looked like he had just heard some of the worst news that he had ever heard in his life. Barely inside the house, he looked straight a head with bitterness and regret.

"Daddy?" Margaret asked as she stepped towards him. She was worried, when ever there was something seriously wrong, he showed it. He never looked that way for a minor problem. He coldly looked to her and sighed.

"Girls, I want to visit with you, but I'm, afraid that your mother and I have something to discuss right now. I want you three to go upstairs until I call you down," he explained.

"Yes sir," Margaret said and then led her sisters up the stairs. Each one of them took their last look at him before leaving the room. It had brought up many questions for them. How serious was their parent's fight? What had happened? What caused him to come over? What had their mother done to upset him like that?

"I can't just stay up here like this while they argue," Margaret said as she closed the door behind her. She leaned against the door and looked around the room. Becky and Tara both sat on Becky's bed with the same worried expression.

"I know, it drives me crazy not knowing," Becky said.

"Maybe if you two would shut up we could listen in on what they're saying," Tara said starting to get frustrated.

"How you moron? We're up here and they're down in the kitchen whispering to each other," Becky argued.

Tara quickly turned to Becky. "If you had half a brain you would realize that soon enough they'll be yelling," Tara said.

"Shut up already!" Margaret sternly warned while on the verge of tears. They both quickly turned to her. Neither of them had ever heard her raise her voice and were now surprised. "Isn't it enough that our parents are already down there fighting? Come on, we're all we've got during the holidays, I don't want that ruined to," she said.

They both looked down. She was right, no matter how much they wanted to deny it, she was right. Every year it was either their father was gone, or that their parents were downstairs fighting. Margaret sighed. "I'm going to go try and listen in on them," she said and then left the room. Becky and Tara just watched her as she closed the door.

Margaret went about three fourths down the stairs and then sat in the stairway against the wall. The kitchen was right around the corner, but she could still only faintly hear them.

"What the hell was going through your head?" Alvin tried to whisper as he angrily asked.

"Maybe nothing would have happened if you were actually here once in a while," she snapped.

"You knew what I did for a living!" he argue starting to yell. "It's not like you weren't warned."

"I didn't think that you would be gone as much as you are," she argued.

Margaret turned her head towards the bottom of the stairs and leaned her head against the wall. She could hear that her mom was crying. She could also tell that her father was extremely angry.

"If you weren't ready to handle this then why the hell did you marry me? Didn't you for a moment think about that? Didn't you once listen to me while I was explaining to you what I did for a living?" he asked.

"Besides, that doesn't give you any right to go out and have an affair," he said lowering his voice.

Margaret's eyes widened. She couldn't believe it, her own mother went out and had an affair. That explained everything now. Margaret faced forward with and blankly stared.

"Damn it, I was lonely!" she cried out trying to keep her voice as quiet as possible.

"Well, now I don't know what to think of you any more. Hell, I don't even know if that was the first time! Now what are we going to tell the kids? Daddy's leaving because he can't trust his wife?" he asked.

"Actually, I was going to give them a choice of who they wanted to live with. I didn't want them to completely hate me for everything," she said.

"How? You said yourself that I'm barely home," he said.

"I don't know, maybe you could have your sister take care of them while you're gone," she suggested.

There was a silence that caused Margaret to nervously look over towards the bottom of the stairs.

"Alright, I guess that can work," he said.

Hawkeye sat up in his room. This was his first Christmas with out his mother. There was a strange lonely feeling that he couldn't shake. It was strange to him.

(_Hawkeye sat with his mom at the hospital. She sat up in the bed as she smiled at him. _

"_So, how's it going?" she asked rather cheerful for what had just happened._

"_Mom, you just collapsed and you ask me how its going?" he asked. _

_She nodded. "There's no point in being unhappy on Christmas," she said._)

He sighed as he looked out the window. There was nothing that he could do to change what was going on, and to him, that was the worst feeling that he ever had. Knowing that what happened is permanent.

"Hawkeye?"

He turned and saw his father standing in the doorway. "Hi dad," he said sounding distant.

Daniel sighed and joined him on the bed. "Every one's down there. I know for a fact that they would like to see you," he said.

Hawkeye stared forward with the same distant look. He then turned towards his father. "Don't you feel weird?" he asked.

Daniel could see it in his face that he was having a rough time. It was Christmas and his mom wasn't there. His first Christmas without her.

"Yes, I do. But that doesn't mean that I have to mope around. She would have wanted us to have a good time," Daniel said.

Hawkeye sighed as he stared forward. He had not really talked about his mom since her death. He was afraid to. He saw how his dad handled it and was afraid to.

"And I wanted her to live," Hawkeye said.

Daniel just looked at him. He had no answer to that.

Hawkeye shook his head. "Why did she have to die? Didn't she realize that maybe dieing affected more than just herself? That maybe no one else around her wanted her to die? That maybe there was some one there waiting for her to come home that night?" he asked getting irritated.

"Are you listening to yourself? You're acting like she had a choice," Daniel said.

Hawkeye looked down, he knew that he wasn't exactly making that much sense, but he felt that something needed to be said. As unreasonable as it was, that was how he felt about it. Ever since his mother had died, he hated the idea of any one dieing. He hated seeing her die and never wanted any one else to have to go through losing some one. "I know, but still," he said and then got up. "Dad, would you mind if I just go for a walk? I don't know if I really feel like being with a group of people," he said.

Daniel just nodded. "Sure, go ahead," he said. He could see how Hawkeye felt about all of this and didn't want to stop him from doing what he felt he needed. If he felt he needed to be on his own, he was going to let him.

Margaret walked down the sidewalk, her face pale and saddened. She now had to chose between her parents. How could she walk in and tell them that she would rather stay with one over the other? She loved her father, but she also loved her mom. "Maybe this will give me a chance to stay in one place for more than a year," she said to herself.

Margaret looked up and saw Hawkeye walking towards her on the sidewalk. She could tell that he was preoccupied, but if there was any on that she could talk to, she felt that it was him. That for some reason, she could trust him.

"Ben?" she asked as she approached him.

"What is it?" he asked not really wanting to talk to any one.

"Could I confide in you?" she asked.

He turned and raised his eyebrows to her. "You mean you have a problem?" he asked in a mocking manner.

Margaret had no idea how to react to that. She did, she did have a problem, and she did want to talk to him, but after a response like that, she wasn't sure if she should have even brought it up. "Yes," she said making sure that she didn't look afraid, like she really was for some reason. "My parents are getting a divorce and I have to pick sides," she said.

Hawkeye just looked down at her. "Is that all you ever do? Is complain? Ever since I met you, you've been whining about not staying in the same place, and how you never see your daddy. I'm sick of it already! You get to see your dad every year!" he said.

She just looked at him as he turned. "I'm sorry, I just wanted," she started, but was cut off as soon as he quickly wheeled back to her.

"No! All you wanted was attention! You want every one to feel sorry for you! It's no wonder that you don't have any friends!" he said and then walked away leaving her to stand in shock.

"I'm sorry Ben," she said trying to hold back the tears that had formed in her eyes.


	24. Chapter 24

24

Hawkeye walked down to the beach and simply stared. All he could do was stare, there was too much on his mind to actually do something. He sat down and stared down at the sand. Every year he woke up to his mother on Christmas, not this year, not next year, not ever again would he see her face. He let out a sigh.

Margaret walked over to the park and sat down on one of the swings. It had been a while since she had gone anywhere alone. Even if she didn't make any friends, she would have her sister with her, but the more that she thought about it, the more she realized that she would rather be alone. She had an important decision to make. Whether to go with daddy, the one whom she looked up to and idolized, or to stay with her mom, whom she loved. Neither of them had wronged her, so it was hard to say that she would rather be with one than the other. "Why do I have to choose?" she asked as she hung her head.

That night, each of them had made their decisions and stick to them for the week that they had to wait until they went into to court.

The judge called each one up individually and asked them. He did it by age.

"Tamara Michelle Houlihan," he called.

Tara stood up. For the first time, Margaret saw something in her face, it was some kind of regret or maybe even sorrow, something that she had never seen in her face before. "I would like to stay with my mother sir," she stated while keeping her voice soft and steady.

"Okay," he said and then wrote something down. He lifted his head back up and called out. "Margaret Louise Houlihan."  

Margaret looked up and then looked back down at Becky. She knew that what ever she said, Becky would go along with it, and she just hoped that they would both be happy. "I would like to go with my father," she answered in the same serious manner as Tara had.

"Very well," he said.

Margaret sat down and looked over at her sister. Becky just slightly smiled at her and nodded. "Okay, that's all I needed," Margaret said.

"Rebecca Annabelle Houlihan," called.

"I hate when my full name is used," she muttered and then stood up. "I choose to stay with my father," she said and then sat down.

The judge went over a few papers and then looked up over at the parents. "You both agree with this arrangement?" he asked.

They both nodded. There weren't any real spoken words between the two over the past week. "Is it necessary to set up visitation rights?" he asked.

"No, I will bring the two girls over on the holidays and when ever I have to leave and my sister can't watch the kids," Alvin said.

"Okay," he said and then went back to his papers.

There was nothing more annoying to Margaret than to see him looking down at those papers. It was beginning to seem like he was prolonging the entire thing. She just wanted to go home.

Hawkeye was walking down the sidewalk. It was the last day of Christmas vacation and he had known that he upset Margaret. He was now feeling bad and wanted more than anything to make it up to her.

He got to the house and saw Tara sitting out on the front yard with a journal. He started to go up to the house, but she stopped him.

"Ben?" she asked.

He stopped and turned to her. "Yes?" he asked.

"If your looking for Maggie, she's not here right now. She and Becky went down to the store. They should be back by dinner time," she said.

"Oh, okay thanks," he said puzzled by the way that she was behaving.

"And Ben, be careful about what you bring up with her. She's getting ready to move again and she's usually pretty touchy around that time," she said.

Hawkeye slowly turned and started to walk down the road back towards his house. He couldn't believe it, the one girl that he had become close to was leaving him. It hadn't even been six months and they were separating. He then smiled as he looked up. He knew exactly what to do with her that night.


	25. Chapter 25

Hawkeye and John sat in his backyard with an old nail sitting in front of them at the table. "So, what did you call me over here to do?" John asked as he watched the sharp object out of the corner of his eye.

Hawkeye sighed and then reached down into his pocket. He revealed the small gold band with a little pink rose on it. "I want to carve something on it. I found it's pretty soft, so it shouldn't be too hard," he explained as he looked the ring over.

John shrugged and then took the ring. "What do you want it to say?" he asked as he picked the nail up and situated it in his fingers.

Hawkeye stared off for a minute. He didn't know. It was such a small ring that it made it hard to really put anything on it. Just put, Ben and Mags," he said.

John looked the ring over and tilted his head. "How about B and M?" he asked.

"Okay, B and M," he said. He didn't care, just as long as it meant something. He sat there and waited until John was done with his ring. This to him was a big deal. Maybe irresponsible to some, but he felt he had to give that ring to her.

The entire time that he waited for that ring, he kept thinking about what had happened over the short time that he had been in South Carolina. How he had come to love the place that he first hated, and all because of one person. That had never happened to him before. He was going to return to Maine with a part of her still with him.

"_Homesick?" Margaret asked._

_Hawkeye looked up and laughed at her._

"_That's the first time that I think I've ever heard you speak," he said._

"_Yes, I guess I am a little homesick," Hawkeye said._

"_Everything's going great? The others finally got around to doing that, while they're trying to beat a new record?" Margaret asked._

_Hawkeye's eyebrows raised at her._

"_Yeah, how did you know?" he asked._

"_I have had those letters sent to me before," Margaret said._

He was longer homesick. As a matter of fact, he was going to miss this place. Then again, once she left, it was going to be back to the same spot that it was before, a place, and nothing more then that.

"Here you go," John said bringing him back from his thoughts.

"Thanks," Hawkeye said and then slipped the ring back into his pocket. That was the night that he was to say goodbye to her.

Margaret sat on the rock over at the beach. During her time there she had come to like that as her thinking spot. The place that she enjoyed to go. She had earlier been told to meet Hawkeye there and was now awaiting his appearance. There was nothing more to do now but sit and think. Think about how unusual this was for her, to be waiting for some one and know that they would show up.

"Maggie?"

Margaret slightly jumped and then turned around to see Hawkeye standing there. His face was straight and serious, something that wouldn't expect to see from him. His black hair was slightly messed, but it fit him more. She stood up and they both met each other half way. They were both waiting for something, but Hawkeye figured that he ought to talk first.

"About the other day, when I snapped at you, I didn't, well, I," tried to choke out.

Margaret put her finger on his lips to keep him quiet. "It's okay. I forgive you," she said and then pulled her arm back down to her side.

"Thanks," he said and then looked down. Neither of them knew what to say.

Margaret looked off to the side and watched the water as the sun began to set. She knew exactly what she had wanted to say to him, and exactly how she felt, but she couldn't. There was something holding her back from what she wanted to do. Instead, she stood there silently as she waited for him to finally speak up.

"I heard that you're leaving," Hawkeye said trying to break the silence. Although, when he saw the saddened expression form in her face as she turned to him, he regretted ever mentioning it.

"Yeah, this week is going to be my last week at this school. Then it's off to where ever my daddy takes me and Becky," she said and then tried to fake a smile.

"I guess that means that you'll now get a well deserved brake from Tara now," Hawkeye said trying to lighten the mood.

Margaret shrugged. "I don't know. The last couple of weeks have changed her. She seems to be more human lately. Maybe the divorce hit her harder than the rest of us," Margaret said and then looked down. "But no matter what, she's still my sister and I'll miss her."

Hawkeye looked around. He had no idea what to talk about with her. This was all very upsetting to her and the last thing he wanted to do was upset her, but he also didn't want to seem like he didn't care about it. He figured that he had just better shut up and let her do the talking from now on. It was then that he remembered that he had the ring. "Maggie," he said getting her to turn to him. "I have something for you." Margaret's eyes lit up as he pulled out the small ring. He took her hand and slid the ring onto her finger. "My mother gave me this right before she died. She told me to give this to some one who means a lot to me and right now, the thing I hate most is leaving you, so you must be awful important to me," he said.

Margaret's eyes gathered tears as she threw her arms around him. They stood there in each other's arms for a while before they had decided to kiss. Neither of them had known how long they stood there, but it was an awful long time.

*********************************************

"And that was the last time that I ever saw her," Hawkeye said as he blankly stared across the tent. "She ended up having to leave the next day. I was the only one who got to say good bye to her."

"Or, at least you thought," BJ said motioning towards the ring.

Hawkeye jumped out of his trance and looked down at the ring. "I don't know why, but I haven't even given that year a single thought in a long time. That's probably why I didn't recognize her," he said.

"It sounds to me that you know very well who she is, and if you don't mind, I think I also know who you are talking about," BJ smirked as he watched Hawkeye.

Hawkeye, without a moment's hesitation, stood up. "You're right, and now I have to go save her from Frank," he said and then left the tent. BJ just sat there with a smile on his face.

Hawkeye walked across the compound over to Margaret's tent. The whole time he looked down at the ring. It was amazing to him how two people could be brought back together over some little thing that happened over twenty years ago. He stopped at the door and knocked. "Margaret, I have something for you," he announced.

Margaret came to the door and stood there. "What is it Pierce?" she barked.

Even though he could clearly see that she didn't want to see him, he still grabbed her hand.

"Pierce!" she protested.

Hawkeye held his finger up and then with the other hand held the ring up. Her eyes lit up with pure joy. "You found it!" she exclaimed.

"My mother gave me this right before she died. She told me to give this to some one who means a lot to me and right now, the thing I hate most is leaving you, so you must be awful important to me," he said and then looked up. Her face was filled with pure surprise.

"Now take care of it this time," he said and then kissed her hand.

Margaret stood there with a wishful look in her eyes as she went back and forth between watching him and the ring. "Thank you," she said and then saw him leave and go back to the swamp. There was a longing that she had to run after him. To go up and wrap her arms around him. But, instead, she simply stood there and softly smiled down at the ring that she would always hold near and dear. "I love you to Hawkeye," she said to herself and then went back into her tent.

"What was that?" Frank whined.

"Nothing that you could ever comprehend," she said.


End file.
